


Skype

by thatwriterlady



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Bee Keeper Castiel, Dominant Castiel, Falling In Love, Feelings, Flirting, Fluff, Gentle Castiel, Hot smut that will require you to fan yourself, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Mechanic Dean, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Professor Castiel, Sexy Dean, Smart Dean Winchester, Some angst, Sweet Dean, Writer Castiel, hot castiel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-28
Updated: 2016-06-24
Packaged: 2018-04-23 19:59:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 109,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4890169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatwriterlady/pseuds/thatwriterlady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean is curious when Charlie suggests he try out this website she plays around on to pretend to role play with strangers.  You can role play, just chat, or flirt your little heart out, and it's all done anonymously.  He knows his friend met her girlfriend on the site and while he's not out looking for a boyfriend or girlfriend, some harmless flirting would be nice.  So he takes a chance and visits the site.  It turns out to be better than he expected, especially when, on his third conversation he meets Cas, a bee keeper out in Montana.  The conversation is easy, the flirting is fun, and they decide to exchange emails.  Emails turn to texts, and then to Skype calls as the two men grow closer.  But you can't really fall in love with someone so far away when you've never actually met, or can you?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Mystery Chat

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SassySides](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SassySides/gifts).



> Hello my dear ones, I come bearing another Destiel fic for you all. This one is full of fluff and smut, and eventually some angst (not a terribly large amount, but it will be there nonetheless), though it will primarily be fluff. I think you will be quite pleased as I believe I outdid myself on the one sex scene in this one. Do enjoy, and remember to leave comments and kudos so know how you all are enjoying it. :)

[](http://www.pizap.com/image/707476471pizapw1443651940.jpg)  
[](http://www.pizap.com/u/707476471) [piZap.com](http://www.pizap.com)

“What are you doing?” Dean asked as he plopped down on the couch next to Charlie. He was bored and was hoping she wanted to play some video games. She looked up from her laptop for only a second before her eyes were drawn back to the screen.

“I found this website a few months ago where you can anonymously chat with other people. There’s no signing up, and you just make up a fake user name. You don’t have to provide any personal info at all. It’s really pretty neat and it’s a lot of fun just chatting with people. Sometimes you find like-minded people, sometimes you don’t. If you don’t like who you’re talking to, you just log out of the chat and start a new one. I’ve met some really cool people. What I do is start a fake conversation. Like, say…you announce you’re Han Solo. Someone else joins the conversation and says ‘Hello Han, my name is Leia. Come here often?’ And then you just sort of screw around role playing. I’ve met some hella cool people doing it, and it’s fun. You don’t have to do the role playing, but at least for me, it makes the entire thing more interesting.” She explained. He leaned over to watch as she pretended to be the 9th Doctor. Whoever was on the other end was pretending to be Martha, and flirting pretty heavily. He watched with amusement as Charlie played along, even laughing at some of the things they were saying with each other.

“That actually does look like fun.” He said once the conversation had ended and a new one had begun.

“And completely anonymous, unless you give out your email address. That’s how I met Dorothy, on this site. I was just looking for something to do for fun, to let off some steam but the conversations we were having were too awesome to just let it be a one-time deal. I asked for her number and she gave it to me.” She said as she got involved with the next conversation.

Dean got up, heading to his room to grab his own laptop. “What is that site called? You’re sure you don’t have to download anything?” He asked as he turned his computer on and sat down again.

“Nah, it’s just a website. Mystery Chat is the name.” She replied. Dean looked the site up. Sure enough, it didn’t ask for any log in information. He simply had to pick a username that would work for this log in only. He chose to call himself The Pie Man. He snickered to himself at how creative he believed he was at the name. When he loaded it a chat page popped up. So far he was still alone. The person that joined his chat immediately launched into a Harry Potter role play, but Dean wasn’t as familiar with the books or movies and he was floundering. He tried to keep up but after about five minutes he said goodbye and left. The next chat was just weird. The person wanted to know what kind of detergent he used, and whether he washed his panties by hand or in the washing machine. The moment he said he was a guy, they logged off. He was about to give up when his computer chimed, announcing that someone else had joined the chat. Someone calling themselves The Beekeeper entered the chat. He was debating on what he wanted to say when he noticed the other person was typing. 

**The Beekeeper** : So, Pie man, I’m guessing you like pie?

Dean snickered.

 **The Pie Man** : Hell yes I love pie. Hey Beekeeper, are you sweet as honey?

 **The Beekeeper** : I can be…for the right person.

 **The Pie Man** : Oh really?

Flirting was something Dean was good at, and this was all in good fun anyway. An easy conversation with someone he didn’t have to worry could track down his information. He could have fun with this.

They bantered back and forth, and he kept the flirting light. He was enjoying the conversation, and the anonymous flirting. He wasn’t even sure of the other person’s gender, not that it mattered to him much, but he was curious.

 **The Pie Man** : Can I ask your gender?

 **The Beekeeper** : I dunno. You might disconnect…

 **The Pie Man** : Well, my name infers that I am male, which I am. I’m not going to disconnect. I happen to like everyone, if you get my drift. ;)

He was taking the flirting up a notch, or so he thought. 

The Beekeeper: Oh really? So it wouldn’t bother you to learn that I’m a man?

Something suddenly dawned on Dean. Kids could be on this site, and he could be randomly flirting with some fourteen year old in like, Nebraska. He needed to make sure he was talking to another adult.

 **The Pie Man** : That’s cool man, but please tell me you’re over 18?

 **The Beekeeper** : I’m way over 18. By ten years to be exact. What about you?

 **The Pie Man** : I’m 24, so yeah, well over 18! So what do you do for a living?

 **The Beekeeper** : My screenname says it all. I’m a bee farmer. Well, keeping bees is more of a hobby. I love honey so I decided to raise bees. Actually, I’m a horticulturist and botanist. Do you know what that is?

 **The Pie Man** : Yes, I know what that is. You studied flowers and plant biology. I went to college for engineering.

 **The Beekeeper** : Impressive. And what did you do with that degree?

 **The Pie Man** : I run an auto shop.

 **The Beekeeper** : At only twenty four?!

 **The Pie Man** : Yup. The owner is a friend of my stepdad’s and he retired last year. I’ve worked for him since I was sixteen, so he knows I can do the work. It’s doing better now than it did when he ran it. I majored in engineering and minored in business administration, so I do more marketing and advertising than he did. We have a lot more business now.

 **The Beekeeper** : I have to say, I’m impressed. I find myself wondering what you look like though. The mechanics around here are rather scary looking, and most of them have a beer gut and the vast majority of their teeth are missing. It’s not an attractive sight.

 **The Pie Man** : I’m adorable. 

**The Beekeeper** : And that tells me sooooooooooo much. Description please.

 **The Pie Man** : Dark blonde, green eyes, more freckles than I want. What about you? What does a beekeeper even look like? I am picturing Bill Nye.

 **The Beekeeper** : Oh ha ha. I used to model when I was in college. I like to think I’m fairly good looking. Dark brown hair, blue eyes, and I exercise daily, so I’m in shape.

 **The Pie Man** : Now I’m intrigued. Modeling you say? I’ve had a few people try to recruit me to do that. I should have, maybe then all my student loans would be paid off by now, lol.

 **The Beekeeper** : How tall are you?

 **The Pie Man** : 6’2. Or damn close to it if my legs weren’t bowed. You?

 **The Beekeeper** : You’re taller. I’m 5’10.

“Who are you talking to?” Charlie leaned over to see his screen.

“He calls himself The Beekeeper. Seems to be a pretty cool guy.” He replied. She arched an eyebrow at the name.

“The Beekeeper?”

“He really is a beekeeper.” He shrugged.

Dean returned to his conversation with The Beekeeper, enjoying their banter and the joking. Suddenly he got a new message.

 **The Beekeeper** : I have to get going, I have some chores I need to complete but…I like talking with you. Would you like to continue talking off site?

Dean’s heartbeat sped up at the thought of talking to this man off the website.

 **The Pie Man** : Sure. What’s your email?

They exchanged addresses and agreed to email later.

 **The Beekeeper** : By the way, my name is Castiel, but you can call me Cas.

 **The Pie Man** : Well it’s nice to meet you Cas, my name’s Dean.

 **The Beekeeper** : Pleasure’s all mine.


	2. Evolution of a Long Distance Romance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas share emails for a while before graduating to texts. A few months of that is more than Dean can take. He wants to see Cas in real time, to see how blue his eyes really are and talk face to face. 
> 
> He invites Cas to Skype with him. It's both terrifying and exciting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here you guys go, a nice, long chapter. Enjoy!
> 
> I'm making you wait for smut though. It's too soon for that!

After that talk Dean closed the website. He had expected more role playing but the conversation with Cas had actually been the best one of all. Charlie was busy playing an online game, having gotten off the site much earlier. His stomach was starting to rumble and he was considering getting up to make himself a sandwich when his phone chimed with a notification. When he checked it he found that he had a new email.

From: C. Novak beelover85@gmail.com

To: Impala_69@gmail.com

Subject: Hey, it’s me, Cas

Hey Dean, just thought I’d shoot you an email. I enjoyed talking to you today. My friend said that website was fun and he met some pretty cool people on it, so I thought I’d try. Didn’t know I’d luck out on my first try. You’re pretty cool. Hope we can talk again soon. Email me if you like. My phone is always on me so I’ll get it pretty quick. Technology, right? Well, gotta tend to the bees. Later~

Cas

Dean smiled as he read the email. He wasn’t sure why but talking to this guy came pretty easy. As he got up to go make a sandwich he found himself wondering if Cas even swung his way or not. Sure they had flirted, but a lot of people flirted just for the sake of flirting. He was guilty of doing that a lot more than he cared to admit to. He was dying to see what Cas looked like. He slapped together a turkey sandwich and went back to the living room to collect his laptop before disappearing into his room. It was Saturday and he had nothing better to do than to watch a movie, or maybe some porn, but first he wanted to email Cas back.

From: Me  
To: Cas

Subject: Re: Hey it’s me, Cas

Hey man, how are the bees? And how exactly does one ‘tend’ to bees anyway? Aren’t they pretty self-sufficient? Do they produce mostly clover honey? Where do you even live? Are you in the US? I’m in Chicago but I’m originally from Kansas. I’m a country boy at heart, but I’m stuck in the city. The moment I get to expand the shop into a chain though, I’m outta here. I’ll let my friend Benny run the one here and I’ll go run one somewhere quieter.

It’s my day off so I’m going to go watch a movie, but hey, hit up later if you have the time. My phone’s always with me too. Later.

Dean

He set the phone aside and opened his laptop again. He was still debating between a movie and porn when his phone chimed with a notification. Snatching it up he grinned as he opened it and saw it was from Cas again.

From: Cas

To: Me

 

Subject: Bees

You’re right, they are pretty self-sufficient, but I was out of honey so I went to collect some. I have three jars worth. I’m quite happy now.

That’s funny that you’re in Chicago. I’m originally from Illinois, down by Salem, but now I’m in Montana. I bought a ranch this year and I’m very happy. I never liked the big cities. I’ve been to Chicago. Nice place to visit, wouldn’t want to live there. I don’t know how you can handle that traffic, it would drive me nuts.

Can I ask you something? Would I be out of place to ask for a picture? Just so I can picture who I’m talking to. If you don’t want to, that’s ok, but I’ll include one of me, just so you know that I’m not one of those people catfishing. Course a picture won’t prove that I am who I say I am, but it’s a start.

Cas

Dean quickly clicked on the attached picture and for a moment he actually forgot to breath.

“Holy fucking shit, he’s hot!” He finally gasped. Cas had understated how good looking he really was. He was sitting on the porch of a house that Dean assumed belonged to him, and someone else had taken the picture. He was holding a coffee cup in both hands and smiling up at the camera. The dark hair on the man’s head was a disheveled mess that he found himself wanting to run his fingers through, and those eyes…

Eyes as blue as the sky were looking back at him, a humorous twinkle in them and the smile on those full lips was amazing. God, the man was gorgeous! If this really was Cas and not some stock photo on the internet he definitely wanted to get to know the man better. MUCH better. 

Cas wanted to see what he looked like too. He debated, should he take a new photo with his phone or send an older one where he looked better? In the end he decided on a brand new picture. Sitting up and setting the now forgotten laptop aside he gave his best smile and snapped a picture. 

To: Cas

From: Me

Subject: Dude, you totally undersold yourself

You ‘like to consider yourself to be attractive’? Seriously? Man, you’re gorgeous! If that’s really you. I’ve been catfished before, it’s not cool, so excuse me if I’m just a bit wary. But if that’s you, yeah, you’re gorgeous. Sorry, couldn’t just not say that. I’m including a picture I just took. Sorry, I probably look like crap but you’ll at least know what I look like, right? I don’t catfish other people, course it’s my word alone that says I don’t, but it’s the truth. 

Dean

He sent the email and sat back, waiting. Would Cas be one of those guys that was like ‘Eww, you’re ugly, we can’t talk anymore’, or would Cas find him attractive as well? He was gnawing unconsciously on his fingernail, worrying himself silly when his phone chimed with a new email. With equal amounts of fear and excitement, he opened it.

To: Me

From: Cas

Subject: You lied to me

You said you were adorable. That is a blatant lie. You are drop dead gorgeous, Dean. Your boyfriend or girlfriend is a lucky person to get to look at you every day. I have to say, I envy them. And to prove I’m not catfishing you, I am including a brand new picture. Excuse my hair, it doesn’t like to cooperate.

Cas

Dean opened the picture and smiled so wide his cheeks were hurting. Cas was standing in the middle of a very rustic looking living room, holding up a piece of paper that said ‘Hello Dean, I am not catfishing you!’ in big letters. It was clear Cas took the picture himself, the angle was weird, but that just meant it was an even closer up view of Cas’ face and those incredible blue eyes which were large and so warm looking. 

To: Cas

From: Me

Subject: Ok, I believe you

I believe you now. Makes me less nervous talking to you because you’re really who you say you are, but more nervous because damn you’re hot. I can’t win.

I am not in a relationship. Got out of one at the beginning of the year and haven’t tried since. She up and left without a word, so just threw myself into my work. But thank you for the compliment. What about you? I get the impression from your compliment that you are not straight? Or am I reading too much into it? I apologize if I am. Do you have a significant other? Sorry if I’m being nosey.

Dean

He rolled onto his stomach and stared down at his phone until the next email came through.

From: Cas

To: Me

Subject: Re: Ok, I believe you

No, no significant other, and I am as gay as the day is long. My boyfriend dumped me when I decided I wanted to live in the country and keep bees. No big loss, it was over for a long time before we actually split. So…I’m single, live alone, though my older brother Gabe likes to invite himself to come and stay with me rather frequently. He won’t admit it but he likes the mountain air. We both teach at universities, just not in the same state. I teach horticulture, he teaches art appreciation. 

I like talking with you, Dean. It comes easy to me. You don’t make me uncomfortable. I don’t usually talk to strangers off the internet, there are some real weirdos out there, but I don’t the feeling that you’re like that. I really, really hope I’m right on that one.

Cas

To: Cas

From: Me

Subject: I am fairly normal. I think

I don’t really talk with people on the internet like this. Mostly it’s in gaming chat rooms as I’m playing. My best friend Charlie got me into video games and makes me join her in games when she can’t get enough players together. I did meet her online, but she’s like wicked cool and smart, and I sort of already knew her since she went to school with my younger brother. When she came out to her family they kicked her out so I brought her up from Kansas to come live with me, and she’s been my roommate for three years now. She’s in school for computers. My brother is going to school out in Cali, earning his law degree at Stanford. I’m very proud of him. My folks are back in Kansas too. It’s just me here, and my aunt and uncle. Oh, and Charlie. Does her girlfriend Dorothy count? Cause she spends A LOT of time at my apartment too.

I find it easy to talk to you too, Cas. You’re pretty cool. The last person I ever expected to talk to was a beekeeper, but that’s pretty amazing. You care about the environment and saving a dying species. I admire that. And you’re a teacher too? So many kinks come to mind with that, lol. Sorry, my mind goes to, um, certain places sometimes. Hard not to with as gorgeous as you are. Again, sorry. I’m a perv, I know it. You don’t have to keep talking to me if you don’t want to.

Dean

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To his surprise Cas emailed right back saying there was no way he was going to stop emailing, and that brought a smile to his face. The afternoon faded into evening and they continued talking via email, occasionally exchanging new pictures. Dean sent one as he was preparing dinner, homemade lasagna with garlic bread. Cas sent one of his three jars of honey, complete with pieces of honeycomb. 

The emails continued every day for the next few weeks. If Dean was working on a car he would stop just long enough to email the man back before continuing on. They graduated from emails to texts around week two. Three months in and Dean decided he wanted to take it further. They had stuck to texting, mostly due to Dean’s fear of actually speaking to the man over the phone and saying something ridiculously stupid and scaring him off, but he was dying for more. All the pictures, all the flirty texts they shared, he realized he wanted to see Cas’ face in real time, to see those blue eyes actually looking back at him and hear his voice. It was a Saturday night and he finally got the courage to text Cas to ask him if he wanted to Skype. Talking on the phone was not good enough in his book, he wanted to see Cas too. The answer was a resounding yes from the blue eyed man, so he gave him his Skype information and pulled the app up on his computer. 

For this, Dean carried his laptop over to the desk in his room and set it down. He sat in the chair so Cas would have a clear view of his face. When Cas dialed in he felt his heart leap into his throat. This was the first time they would be seeing one another live and he was extremely nervous. He accepted the call and sat back. A moment later familiar blue eyes were looking back at him.

“Hey!” He greeted with more excitement than he had wanted to show. Cas broke out into a huge grin.

“Hello, Dean, how are you?” 

Dean’s eyes widened. “Holy shit dude! Your voice! I didn’t expect it to be that deep!” Cas raised an eyebrow, his smile growing flirty.

“It gets deeper.”

Dean’s jaw actually dropped for a second before he caught himself and slammed it shut. He sat back a bit, still making sure Cas could see him clearly.

“I’m sure it does.” He said with a cocky smirk.

“Seeing you live, you’re even more gorgeous Dean. I didn’t think that was possible.” Cas leaned closer and Dean knew he was studying his face. “You have so many freckles.”

Dean blushed and looked down at his hands. “Yeah, I know, I hate them.”

“No, I very much like them. They add to your attractiveness. I sort of wish I was there so I could count them. I know, that sounds corny but it’s true.” Cas told him. Dean couldn’t help the grin that spread across his lips.

“You’d want to be here to count my freckles? Cause I can think of a million other things that would be a lot more fun.” Dean licked his lips and despite the distance he could see the way Cas’ eyes tracked the movement. He was happy knowing the attraction wasn’t one sided. Reluctantly those beautiful blue eyes tore away from his lips and lifted to look him in the eye.

“You’re a tease, you know that?” Cas chastised, though his tone was playful. Dean grinned and shrugged.

“I’m not usually a tease. Normally I’m able to follow through on my promises.” 

 

“So it’s a Saturday night, what are you doing sitting at home? I’d have expected you to have a hot date.” Cas’ eyes fell to the desktop in front of him but Dean could see the pain on his face. It was like it actually hurt him to say that.

 

“I could, but I don’t want to.” He replied. Cas looked up, the curiosity in his eyes apparent.

“Why not?”

Dean felt shy suddenly. He folded his hands on his desk and twisted the ring on his right hand nervously. “Because I don’t want to. I-I like talking to you Cas.”

“Even this far away?” Cas asked. Dean nodded.

“I wouldn’t care if you were halfway across the world, I…like you Cas. A-a lot.” He could feel the heat building in his cheeks as he spoke, but he felt better now that he had gotten that out.

“Oh thank God! Talking through texts and emails, I was hoping you weren’t just flirting and that you really liked me back, cause as nuts as it sounds, I’m crazy about you Dean.” Cas leaned closer and Dean got a real good look at his face. It took his breath away. 

“Yeah?” Dean asked, daring to smile at the man.

“I love your smile, Dean.” Cas told him as his own lips curved upwards and he smiled back. 

“Damn your eyes are blue.” Dean sighed. Cas chuckled and sat back again.

They sat like that for hours, talking, joking, flirting. When Dean noticed the light changing in the room Cas was sitting in he decided to bite the bullet and ask the man what had been on his mind recently.

“Cas, can I ask you something?”

Cas sat forward again, folding his arms on the desk. “Sure. Shoot.”

“What…are we? Are we like, just friends?” God he felt like a moron for asking that but Cas just smiled shyly back at him. It was freaking adorable.

“I don’t make a habit of flirting with my friends like this. I’d like it to be something more. That’s…if you want that.”

“Yes! I mean, I know we’re far away, but, um, like, dude…I really like you.” Dean winced at how pathetic he sounded. Dude I really like you? Was that the best he could come up with? Ugh!

“So…what, we’re dating long distance then?” Cas asked. The smile he wore grew even brighter.

“I can handle that. As soon as I have the time and the extra money though I’m coming out there. We’re entering into our busy season right now which means I’m going to be working like eighty hours every week because we’re short staffed. I need to hire on a few new mechanics.” Dean told him.

“That’s fine, as long as we can still talk. I much prefer this to texting and emailing. I like looking at you when we talk.” Cas said.

“Same here.” Dean agreed.

They talked a while longer, until Charlie knocked on his door to ask him if he was going to be making any dinner soon.

 

“I gotta go, babe, Charlie’s hungry and I don’t let her in my kitchen or she burns all my pans which means I have to make dinner. We’ll talk again tomorrow?” Dean asked as he stood up. Cas’ eyes went wide when he noticed what little clothing the man was wearing.

“Absolutely. Shoot me a text and tell me when to be on and I’ll be here.” He said, his eyes still locked on the tight boxer briefs Dean was wearing. Then a thought occurred; had Dean called him babe? That almost made him giddy to think about.

“I will. Have a good night. We can still text though. My phone will be on me.” Dean said.

“Same here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you're enjoying this story still. Leave comment, let me know what you think.


	3. Text Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas get into a discussion about their flaws and that leads to a second, more intense Skype session where Cas reveals something from his own past. The session gets intense and leads to their first Skype version of 'sexting'. Something new for the both of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get your fans and your ice water ready because this sex scene here? I think it might just be the hottest thing I've ever written. Just ask Monijune!!!!! She's STILL fanning herself days later, lol!
> 
> Don't say I didn't warn you. 
> 
> SMUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dean disconnected the call and practically floated out of the room and into the kitchen where Charlie was starting to dig around in the fridge.

“Oh no you don’t, red. Get out of my kitchen.” He shooed her away from the fridge and went about searching for something to make.

“So what are you doing in your room that you are always in there nowadays? You never want to play games anymore.” She pouted as she dropped into one of the chairs and plopped her chin in her hand to watch him.

“I…met someone.” He had his back to her, not wanting to actually see the goofy grin she would have on her face, but he couldn’t tune out her excited squeal.

“Who?! Is it a man or a woman? Are they hot? Tell me EVERYTHING!” She demanded. He chuckled as he pulled ground beef from the bottom drawer of the fridge and started gathering the things he would need to make burgers.

“It’s a man. His name is Cas. And yes, he’s really fucking hot.” 

“Define hot. Do you have pictures? What does he look like?” 

Before he dug into the meat he went back to his room and grabbed his phone. He pulled up that first email and that amazing picture of Cas sitting on the steps of his house with his cup of coffee, and when he walked back to the kitchen he held the phone out to Charlie. She practically snatched it from his hands.

“Oh my GOD! Dean! He’s gorgeous!” 

He was grinning so wide his cheeks ached from the effort but he couldn’t stop. “I know. He says he’s crazy about me too.” She tore her eyes away from the picture to look up at him. Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

“So how did you two meet? And why have I not yet met him?” She asked. His smile faltered as he took his phone back.

“He lives in another state. I met him on that chat site you had me go on.”

Charlie’s eyes widened and she gasped. “No! Is he the beekeeper?!” Dean smiled and nodded.

“Yep, that’s him. He’s a professor at a university in Montana but raises bees as a hobby because he is like mad obsessed with honey. Just bought a huge ranch this year. I know he has a couple of horses but he doesn’t talk too much about them. Mostly he raves about the bees. He is so gorgeous, and funny and humble. He’s amazing, Charlie.” He sighed deeply as he tore into the plastic covering the meat and pulled it out. Charlie got up to fetch the spices he liked to add and at his guidance, added whatever he told her to.

“Dean, are you falling for this guy?” She asked after a few minutes of silence. He didn’t answer right away. The question was a heavy one. Was he? His heart raced just thinking about Cas, and his stomach flipped with every little text, every email, and he was dying to see him face again on Skype. Those eyes seemed to see right into his soul, and he liked that. Cas’ smile made his heart seem to double in size. Fuck, he WAS falling for the man.

“Yeah, I am.” He replied softly. She bumped his shoulder playfully before leaning her head against it. 

“So how do you guys talk?”

“We started off emailing and then we moved to texting. Today we Skyped for a couple of hours. We’re going to Skype again tomorrow.” He replied.

“Can I meet him when you do?” She asked.

“Sure, but you’re not sticking around.” He grinned at her and she batted at his arm.

“I wouldn’t dream of interrupting your sexy time.” She teased.

“What? Whoa, there has been no sexy time!” He exclaimed. She lifted her head and looked at him in surprise.

“What, no sexting? Nothing?”

“No, we don’t do that. We flirt. A lot. But no, no phone sex. Why, you think we should?” He rinsed his hands and pulled out a frying pan. As Charlie watched, he set about cooking the burgers.

“That’s up to you. It’s a natural progression for long distance relationships. Until Dorothy moved here we did that almost every night. How long have you guys been dating now?” She asked.

“We just decided today that we’re dating actually, but we’ve been talking for a couple months. I guess he thought I’d be out dating while still talking to him. But I like him too much.” He grabbed a flipper and flipped the burgers. “Do-do you think he’ll like me? Like, really like me if we actually meet?”

“Of course he will. You’re amazing, Dean. You’re smart, funny, gorgeous, and you have a heart the size of the moon. When you love someone, you love them wholly and completely. That’s one of the things I love most about you, how much you love the people in your life. I count myself as blessed that you let me move in here and that we became best friends. You’re like the big brother I always wanted as a kid. You and Sam both, but especially you. You made me feel loved during a time in my life when I felt most alone.” 

He swallowed hard and blinked in an attempt not to just start crying. “Damn, Red, you can’t just say shit like that, I’m cooking.” His voice broke but he managed to hold the tears at bay. When he looked up at her she could see the way his eyes shimmered.

“Don’t you ever doubt yourself, Dean. You’re amazing and he’s the lucky one to have caught your eye.” She smiled and kissed his cheek before heading to the fridge to grab the cheese she knew he would be asking for next. Together they worked to get the rest of the food on the table.

“Where’s Dorothy?” He asked as he started to pull down plates.

“She had to go home. She has an ethics paper she needs to finish and I was being…distracting.” She replied, a coy smile playing on her lips. Dean snorted and put the third plate he had grabbed back in the cabinet. His phone chimed on the counter and he hurried to grab it.

“Someone’s in love…” She sang out playfully as he carried the phone and the plates over to the table. He ignored her as he sat down and opened his messages.

Cas: Do you have Snapchat?

Dean quickly typed out a response.

Dean: Yes, mostly because Charlie torments me with video game stats on it, and pics when she goes to conventions without me. You want to add me? I’m Winchester_69

Cas: What is it with you and the number 69? Not that I’m complaining, it’s a good number.

Cas: And a good position.

Dean’s eyebrows shot up at the last text.

“What?” Charlie asked, seeing the surprise on his face.

“He’s flirting again.” He murmured as he started typing.

Dean: Damn right it’s a good position. What’s your Snapchat name?

Cas: Angel_Wings85

Dean: Angel Wings? Is there a meaning behind that?

Cas: My mother was religious, named my brother and I both after angels. Is there a significance to you adding 69 after everything?

Dean: Maybe one day I’ll let you know the answer to that question. ;)

Cas: You are such a tease!

Dean: Not really, just hard to follow through on things when we’re this far apart.

Cas: I’d like to remedy that at some point, if you do too. I don’t want to rush you into anything though.

Dean smiled down at his phone and Charlie chucked a potato chip at him.

“What?” He asked as he grabbed the chip off his chest and chucked it back at her.

“You have hearts in your eyes, Dean. What did he say?” 

He handed her the phone and let her read the last few messages.

“He wants to take it to the next level, that’s so exciting! Like, he wants to really be with you, Dean! Do you want to be with him?” She asked, handing the phone back.

“Well…yeah…” 

“But?” She asked.

“I’m afraid I won’t live up to his expectations. And he won’t move here, not that I would ever ask him to. I freaking hate Chicago. Am I supposed to move there?”

“Would you?” She asked. He shrugged. 

“I don’t really know. Montana sounds nice but it’s even further away from my family.”

“Not really, and you love road trips, so that’s a poor excuse. I think you should consider it. Go see him, see what you think of him, of Montana, and spend some time getting to know him. Then make your decision.” She bit into her burger, moaning in delight at the flavors that burst across her tongue. If he moved away this was what she would miss, besides the constant company of her best friend, she would miss his cooking. He was back typing again.

Dean: I would like that, I’m just not quite there yet. I’m scared you won’t like me in person.

Cas: I don’t think that’s possible.

Dean: It’s quite possible. 

Cas: Tell me your five worst habits. If they’re something I couldn’t possibly deal with, I will tell you. Then I’ll tell you mine.

Dean thought for a moment.

Dean: 1.) I’m a clean freak. Everything has a place and needs to be in it. When it’s not, I get stressed out.

It was a few minutes before Cas responded but his next text came with several pictures attached.

Cas: Ok, well, check out the pictures I attached. I’m extremely organized. I can’t stand things out of place either. So what’s your next one?

Dean opened the attachments and studied the pictures closely. Cas’ house was indeed quite organized and neat, yet still looked rustic and homey. And his kitchen was immaculate. It was also huge, a room he could easily see himself cooking meals in.

Dean: Your house is awesome man.

Cas: Thank you. Now what do you think is your next worst habit? 

Dean: I don’t let anyone in my kitchen, save for maybe Charlie handing me spices, or my brother chopping veggies. I like to be in control in the kitchen. Drives some people nuts.

Cas: Just in the kitchen?

It took him a moment to realize what Cas was saying.

Dean: I can give up control in other areas, within reason. In particular, the bedroom, but I’ve yet to be able giving up control in the kitchen. Most of the people in my life can’t cook to save their lives. My brother nearly burned down the house when we were kids and he was just trying to boil water for mac and cheese. I’m working on it though.

Cas: Well, would it ease your mind to know that I actually worked as a chef before? I can cook quite well. I do hope you would let me in the kitchen with you, but if you didn’t, I think I could deal with that, as long as the food is good.

Dean: Oh, it’s good. 

He snapped a picture of Charlie as she was taking a bite, a look of absolute bliss on her face.

“Did you just take my picture?” She asked around a mouthful of food.

“I did. Deal with it.” He replied as he sent the picture.

Cas: Is that your roommate?

Dean: Yes, and she’s eating the burger I made her for dinner.

Cas: Gauging from her expression I would say she likes it.

Dean: Everyone loves my homemade burgers.

Cas: Maybe one day you’ll make some for me?

Dean felt the aching in his chest again at that. God he was falling so hard for this man.

Dean: I would like that.

Cas: Ok, so next one?

Dean: It’s not exactly a bad habit but…

Cas: What is it?

Dean: I have some hobbies that might not be something you’re interested in.

Cas: Are we talking BDSM level stuff? Or something entirely different?

Dean: Whoa, your mind went straight into the gutter, lol. No, I’m like a super nerd. I tend to get on peoples’ nerves because I’m a walking encyclopedia of facts on certain books and movies. And I do conventions and LARP’ing with Charlie and some others. I’ve had people tell I’m a freak before because of it.

It was a couple of minutes before Cas responded and Dean found himself wondering if that had been the deal breaker. He was nervous when the phone did finally chime with a new text.

Cas: Ok, to be fair, I had to Google and figure out what LARP’ing even is. It looks like fun! And you do that with your friends? I’d love to do something like that! And I KNOW my brother would be game. He loves stuff like that. I have dressed up in era appropriate clothing to attend medieval festivals and Renaissance fairs, but I’ve never gotten to actually do live action role playing. I think I would very much like your friend Charlie if this the kind of stuff she does. As for the books and movies, would you be referring to ones such as Harry Potter, LOTR, or Star Wars? I have seen all of the movies and read the books for Harry Potter, LOTR, the Hobbit, I very much enjoy the Star Wars movies. All six of them. So bring it. What’s your next bad habit?

Dean huffed out a laugh as he read the text. Damn this dude was perfect!

Dean: Ok, and this one might be the deal breaker.

Cas: I’m listening. Er…reading.

Dean: I come from a broken home. Like my dad was a violent drunk when I was growing up. Beat my mom within an inch of her life once. But mostly he used me as his personal punching bag. The hitting wasn’t the bad part, it was the verbal abuse. As a result I have some issues. It reached its peak when I was sixteen and my dad caught me with my then boyfriend. We weren’t really doing anything except kissing, we never got a chance to do anything more than that before he found us. The things he said, they sort of really fucked with my head, and left me in a bad place for a long time. I had to go to therapy for a while after he left. My mom finally got the guts to kick him out and file for divorce. She’s remarried now and my stepdad is a really great guy, but I’m damaged. It’s a big reason why I worry about this relationship (I can call it that, right?). I’m terrified you’ll see inside me, see how fucked up I really am and not…want me anymore. So I guess paranoia that people don’t like me is my 5th flaw. Dude, I totally just bared my soul here, so don’t stomp on it, I couldn’t take it.

Cas: Can you meet me back on Skype? This conversation bears a face to face. I can’t properly express my feelings through text. I don’t want to interrupt your dinner though.

Dean looked up to see that Charlie was finished eating and was up saving the left over burgers. He grabbed his plate and quietly slipped back to his own room, shutting and locking the door behind him. He set the plate on the desk and texted back.

Dean: I’m turning my computer on now, but you’ll have to endure me eating cause I brought my food back to my room.

Cas: I’ll call you as soon as my computer is back up.

Dean sat down at his desk, turning the laptop back on as he ate his burger. A minute later he was answering Cas’ call again.

“Hello, Dean.” Cas greeted in that sexy, gravely voice. Dean swallowed his mouthful of burger and wiped at the corners of his mouth.

“Sorry, hi. I warned you I was eating.” Cas laughed and God if it wasn’t a beautiful sound.

“It’s quite alright. I grabbed a bowl of the chili I had simmering since this morning. That’s my dinner tonight.” Cas angled the camera so Dean could see the bowl sitting in front of the other man.

“Looks good, is it homemade?” 

“Yes it is. Only way I will eat it.” Cas replied proudly as he repositioned the camera so Dean could see his face again. He lifted a heaping spoonful of the chili, blew on it and put it in his mouth. Dean found that watching the other man eat was fascinating. 

For the next few minutes they ate and chatted, discussing their favorite new movies since the topic of movies and music had long ago come up. When they were both done eating and had pushed their respective plate and bowl aside, Cas leaned closer to the camera.

“So you wanted to talk?” Dean asked nervously.

“I do. And texting about something that deep just didn’t seem right, nor did calling you on the phone. It felt like this is something I needed to be eye to eye with you for.” Cas replied.

“O-ok.” Dean replied nervously as he picked at a scratch in the laminate top to his desk.

“First, I am terribly sorry that your father took his own pain and misery out on you. I hope you realize that it was not your fault and that you did not, in any way deserve any of that.”

Dean couldn’t look the man in the eye. It shamed him to even think of John Winchester, but these were all things he had been told before, by his mother, his brother, Charlie, his therapist. He knew they were all right, but there was still that inkling of self-doubt in there.

“Thank you, and yes, I have been told that many times over the years.”

“But you don’t believe it.” It was an observation, Dean realized. Cas was not asking him because he already knew.

“Logically, yes, I do believe it. My dad was an alcoholic and he was a cruel and vicious man when he was drunk, but he was sober the day he caught me with Victor, and he beat the crap out of me and chased Vic off. The things he said…” Dean grimaced thinking about it. “They were beyond just cruel. And he made it clear what a disappointment I was to him. My mom kicked him out that night, after she heard him talking to me like that. She knew about Victor and she was ok with it, but my dad wasn’t. He still won’t talk to me. He will occasionally call my brother, and if Sam tries to bring me up he tells him not to mention the ‘little faggot’s’ name because I’m not his son, that he didn’t raise no faggots. His words, not mine or Sam’s. Sam recently just stopped accepting his calls. He hates our dad.” 

“What about you? Do you hate your dad?” Cas asked.

“I honestly don’t know. A part of me wants to, but he’s my dad, you know? All I ever wanted to do was to make him proud, and I failed at that. Another part of me realizes that I’m not the one that needs to make the effort, he is. I try not to think about him. But I’m damaged, I know that. And I worry about stupid stuff like whether you will like me if we met in person.” Dean confessed.

“You did not fail at anything. Your father is the one that failed you as a parent. He couldn’t accept you for who you are. That is in no way reflects on who you are as a person. Please, don’t ever think that. And it’s not an ‘if’ for me, Dean. It’s a ‘when’ in regards to us meeting. I want that more than anything. And since we’re on the topic of shitty fathers, let me tell you about mine.” Cas said. He took a deep breath and started talking.

“So I think I realized I liked boys when I was maybe about nine. I’d always been rather indifferent to girls, but there was a boy at church that I developed a crush on. I was just a little kid and didn’t understand it, so I ignored it. See, I come from a deeply religious family and there were certain…expectations. My brother and I were expected to become preachers like our father. I was all set to do that, until my parents decided to select who my brother and I would marry. I’m not a particularly religious man, not anymore, but that’s getting off topic. So as for these expectations, my brother Gabriel was expected to marry another member of the church, a girl named Hannah. She was nice, but she was in love with me, not that it did her any good. I had a crush on her brother Inias.” Cas chuckled.

“Sounds like the makings of a soap opera.” Dean joked. Cas laughed and rolled his eyes.

“You have no idea. Anyway, Gabe is three year older than me. Hannah is my age. Gabe wasn’t thrilled with the idea of being told who he could and could not marry, especially since he was, at the time, quite a bit older than she was, but our dad is a pretty scary man, and someone you don’t want to cross. Rather than fight against our dad, my brother left the day he turned eighteen. Hannah’s cousin Hael was chosen for me. She was two years younger than me at that point. This was by the time I was thirteen, mind you. I still didn’t know what I wanted to eat for breakfast and my wife was being picked for me. I rebelled. I knew I didn’t like girls, like at all, but my brother told me to keep quiet. I found out later that he’s bi and when he tried to come out to our parents, our dad punished him. Severely. He was afraid that I would receive a worst punishment because I was not attracted to girls at all. He was only trying to protect me, but at the time I thought he was going along with them. I told my mother that I refused to marry Hael. She about had a stroke! Totally flipped out on me and laid a whole lot of heavy biblical drama on me that I couldn’t handle. I wanted to tell her, but I was afraid. So…I ran away. It was easier than trying to tell my utterly homophobic, bible thumping parents that I was gay. Mind you, I was thirteen, broke, with nowhere to go. I ended up on the streets. I’m sure you know what kids on the street do in order to survive.” Cas couldn’t look at the screen, he was afraid he would see judgement there.

“You what, did sexual favors for money?” Dean asked. Still not daring to look up, Cas nodded.

“Not the…you know. Just little stuff, and only enough to get a few bucks here and there so I didn’t starve to death. I still don’t know how I managed to not get raped. I was out there for almost a year before Gabe found me. He had an apartment with a couple of his friends and he brought me to live with him. He paid for STD screening, fed me, clothed me, and I had no idea how he was doing it. Turns out his grant money from school had come through and he was using that to take care of me til he got a job. When he called our parents to tell them he had found me and that I was alright, my dad actually told him he didn’t care, and that he could keep me. They…didn’t want me back. Apparently they knew I was gay and had gone so far as to disown me. I was no longer welcome in their home, in the church, nothing. I was actively involved in the church too until I ran way, but apparently that wasn’t enough for them. So my brother did what he needed to do to get custody, which my parents gladly handed over, and he put me in school but I was struggling socially. There were rumors about my past and I had boys propositioning and threatening me to give them blow jobs, so my brother pulled me out of school and let me finish out high school by home schooling. As a result, I finished two years early. I struggled with my identity and my faith for years. I went to college, studied religion for a while before I realized I had lost my faith. So I switched my major. I decided I liked plants. My friend April got me into gardening my freshman year of high school. She was one of the few people that didn’t judge me back then. But she sparked an interest in me that grew larger, so I followed through and did a double major, horticulture and botany. I hold a minor in history too. I had a thirst for knowledge and I liked school. When I graduated, the school hired me on as an intern and I wrote two books on plants. The books are the reason I am now debt free at twenty eight and own a forty acre ranch. They did very well. I just wrote a third one, it will be out at the beginning of the year. But, in a nutshell, that is my life. So Dean, you are not the only one with baggage and things that you feel ashamed of. I’m pretty broken too, I’ve just become handy at gluing all the pieces back together.”

Dean reached out, touching the screen. “Cas, look at me.” Blue eyes full of embarrassment and a lifetime of pain lifted to look at him. He saw Dean’s hand touching the screen and his mouth quirked up at the corner.

“I don’t blame you, Cas. You did what you had to in order to survive. I’m proud of you for leaving a toxic environment like that. You deserved good, loving parents, and you ended up with self-righteous assholes. You’re amazing, you know that?”

Cas blushed and reached out, placing his hand against the screen of his own computer, right where Dean’s hand was. If he closed his eyes he could imagine that they were touching. When he opened his eyes again he saw Dean smiling at him. There was no judgement in his eyes, no pity. Just…something he couldn’t quite identify. Caring, maybe?

“So what are your fatal flaws?” Dean asked.

“Ah, yes. Well, for starters, despite living on a ranch and needing to tend to things early, and having to head into town for work, I am not, in any way, shape or form a morning person. I despise mornings and any opportunity to sleep in, I take it. If I have a day off you’re lucky to get me out of bed before ten, and if you do, I’m a cranky asshole until I’ve had at least two cups of coffee. If I’m left to sleep in, I’m mostly pleasant.” Cas replied.

“Oh boy.” Dean laughed.

“Don’t tell me, you’re a morning person.” Cas said dryly. Dean laughed harder, nodding.

“I am. I’m up early, showering, cooking, cleaning before I leave for work. I have to be at the garage by seven due to lack of staff, so I’s usually up by five.” 

“That’s blasphemous. I’d have to look for reasons to keep you in bed.” Cas quirked an eyebrow and Dean realized he was testing the waters between them. But Cas was not the sum of his past. And Dean knew this man was going to completely steal his heart if he wasn’t careful. He wasn’t entirely sure that he wanted to be careful. 

“Hmm, I can think of a couple of things that might make me stay in bed.” Dean replied, his tone light and flirtatious. Just to see what kind of reaction he would get he tilted his head, looking up through his long lashes as he stood up and picked up the laptop. He started for his bed.

“What are you doing?” Cas asked, his eyes locked on the screen where he now had a perfect view of the bulge in those oh so tight boxer briefs Dean was wearing. A moment later Dean’s face came back into view and he realized he was laying down in his bed. Cas could see about two thirds of Dean’s body and he couldn’t help the soft moan that escaped his lips as Dean reached up to adjust the camera, causing his tee shirt to ruck up and reveal several inches of tan flesh. His eyes were following along Dean’s happy trail until he heard the other man snort.

“Dude, put your eyes back in your head.” Dean teased. Cas frowned, shooting him a glare that didn’t have any heat behind it.

“You put your gorgeous body right in front of the camera and stretch out in all that magnificent glory and you expect me not to stare?”

Dean chuckled, laying back a bit and propping himself up on one elbow. Cas wanted so badly to be right there at that moment, to press Dean down into that mattress while he touched and tasted every inch of the man’s body. In frustration he ran his fingers through his hair, sighing heavily.

“What’s wrong?” Dean asked. Cas could see the mischievous twinkle in his boyfriend’s eyes. He had to pause there for a moment. Dean…was his boyfriend. Suddenly he was grinning like a fool.

“And what is that smile for?” Dean asked. He shifted his weight again, causing his tee shirt to slide up a few inches again. This time he didn’t make an effort to fix it.

“It just dawned on me that I’m looking at my half naked boyfriend, and it made me really happy.” Cas replied. Dean smiled. He liked the sound of that. “And you called me babe earlier. No one’s ever done that before. I like it.” 

“No one? Seriously?” What type of people had Cas been dating?

“No. I always got called by my full name, even when I ask people to call me Cas. Or I got called things like darling. I am not darling.” Cas grumbled.

“Sounds like you dated stuffed shirts before me. And I like pet names. Not to dehumanize, but because it makes me feel closer. I only use them with people I care about.” Dean blushed and cleared his throat. There he’d gone, embarrassing himself yet again.

“I care about you too Dean, a lot. Hold on, you’re coming with me.” Suddenly Cas was on the move and all Dean could see were the buttons of Cas’ shirt as the laptop was carried. There was some thumping and the screen bounced, which made Dean think he was climbing a set of stairs.

“Where are you taking me?” Dean asked.

“To my bedroom.” Cas replied. Dean’s cock twitched at his words.

A light turned on and then Cas was stretching out on his bed, the laptop settled on his thighs.

“I wanted to get…comfortable.” He explained. There was a heat in those blue eyes that had Dean’s underwear beginning to feel tight. Cas unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it off, revealing the white tank top he was wearing underneath. His arms were muscular and tan, and Dean was dying to touch them.

“God you’re hot.” The words slipped from his lips before he’d even realized what he’d said and he groaned, rolling onto his stomach and burying his face in his pillow. Cas was laughing.

“Dean, don’t be embarrassed. I find you equally as attractive, and it’s driving me nuts that you’re just lying there like that and I can’t do a damn thing about it.” Cas almost sounded pouty about that. Dean lifted his head, turning it and resting it on his folded arms so that he could look at Cas.

“Oh yeah? And what exactly would you do?” 

Cas sat up a little straighter. “I keep imagining what your skin tastes like, and just how far down those beautiful freckles reach. I want to touch you, Dean. Everywhere.”

Dean smiled and batted his eyelashes very slowly before he sat up on his knees. 

“You watching?” He asked. He was hard and his crotch was clearly visible on Cas’ screen. “Up here, blue eyes.” He teased. Cas forced himself to tear his eyes away and look at Dean’s face. 

Dean slowly stripped out of his tee shirt, deliberately drawing out the process and allowing every muscle to flex as he moved. He was in shape, his body was firm in all the right places and judging from the look of pure lust on Cas’ face, the man liked what he saw. Once the shirt was off, he dropped it to the floor and stretched. 

“Oh my fucking God…” Cas hissed. He moved his own laptop so that it was lying next to him on the bed. It was pressing against his rapidly hardening cock and he couldn’t take it anymore. As he watched, Dean stretched back out on the bed, this time lying on his back, one arm behind his head, eyes turned towards the computer.

“Like what you see?” 

“Fuck, YES!” Cas growled. The sound of his voice gave Dean shivers. “God I want to touch you so bad.”

“I want that too, baby. I want your hands on me, and your mouth. I want to know the things you can do with your tongue.” Dean moaned as he rubbed himself through the thin fabric of his underwear. His eyes slid closed as his hand slipped inside of his underwear and he gently began to stroke himself. 

“Oh fuck, Dean…I want you so bad. Please, take those off. Let me see you? All of you.” Cas begged. When Dean opened his eyes he saw that Cas had ditched the tank top and was undoing the button on his jeans as fast as he could.

“You want to see me naked?” Dean asked, eyes wide, his lower lip catching playfully between his teeth. He was going to be the death of Cas, the man just knew it.

“God yes!” Cas cried. Dean pulled his hand out of his underwear and brought the arm behind his head down so that he could pull the underwear off. Again he made the process slow, planting his legs wide as he lifted his ass off the bed and slid them down. When his cock sprung free he heard a series of swear words escaping Cas’ mouth and it made him chuckle. He dropped back down to the mattress and kicked the underwear to the floor.

“You are so gorgeous Dean. Damn it I wish I was there.” Cas moaned and when Dean looked over at the screen he could see that Cas had decided underwear were no longer necessary for him either, and had one hand locked around his own swollen shaft, and he was slowly stroking himself. 

“And what would you do to me, Cas? Once you got done counting my freckles and kissing me all over? What then?” Dean asked. He waited for Cas to be looking right at him before he reached over to his nightstand and pulled out a bottle of lube. The man had a clear view of his ass as he did it too and he heard the choked sob that escaped his lips. It brought a wicked smile to his face.

“I know what I want, but I have a question.” Cas said.

“What is it?” Dean asked as he popped the top on the bottle of lube and poured some on his fingers.

“Do-do you usually top or do you bottom?” Cas asked. Dean smiled lasciviously.

“What are you hoping I do?” 

“I’m really, really hoping you bottom.” Cas replied honestly.

“Then you really lucked out. I love taking it. I’d take every inch of your cock, sweetheart, and ride you hard.” Dean pulled his legs up, planting his feet firmly on the mattress as he reached down between them to rub at the sensitive bundle of nerves around his rim. He moaned, letting his head fall back against the pillows.

“No, Dean, please, I want to see you do that! I can’t see anything at this angle!” Cas cried in frustration. Dean chuckled and sat up, moving the computer and putting in between his legs, far enough back that Cas could see everything, yet keeping the machine at a safe distance from lube and come.

“Oh…Dean….you are so beautiful…I want that to be my tongue instead of your finger touching you. I want to be inside of you, eating you out until you’re a quivering mess and ready to explode. I’d mark up all of that beautiful skin on your thighs as I alternated between sucking on your sensitive skin and rolling your balls around in my mouth. I bet you taste like pure ambrosia, sweetheart.” Cas’ words were growing ragged and he hadn’t been kidding earlier when he’d said his voice would grow deeper. Dean moaned as he slid one finger in, pumping it slowly in and out. Cas was practically screaming on the other end of the connection, the pace he set as he jerked himself was almost brutal.

“Cas, baby, slow down. Close your eyes and imagine that’s my mouth on you. I would swallow you down, sucking and bobbing my head to lick every inch of you. I’d swirl my tongue over the head of your cock, licking the pre-come from your slit.” Dean was starting to have a hard time using words. He was up to two fingers now and when he hooked them just right he brushed across his prostate and cried out. Cas’ eyes flew open at the sound and that was all it took, he was shooting come so hard it splattered against his chest and face. He cried out at the sheer force of his orgasm. Had he ever experienced one so intense before? He was pretty sure the answer to that was a resounding NO. Rather than worry about the mess he had made he sat up a bit to watch as Dean reduced himself into a sweaty, shaking mess, pumping the fingers of his right hand in and out, up to three fingers now, brushing his prostate regularly and crying out in pleasure every time he did. His left hand found his balls and he began to massage them.

“Oh…Cas…I wish this was you doing this. Feels so good…but you’d feel better…” Dean purred. Cas felt his cock start to twitch and actually looked down at it in surprise. He never got hard again right away after sex. Dean whimpered, his breathing growing quicker as he gripped his own leaking cock and began to thrust up into his own hand.

“Dean that’s so fucking hot!” Cas growled. Yep, he was already semi hard again and he stroked himself, slowly massaging it as he watched Dean fuck down onto his fingers and then up into his other hand. He didn’t think he’d ever seen anything this hot before, and it was made even better by the fact that someday (hopefully soon) he would be able to sink down into that tight heat and experience it for himself. 

“I’m s-so c-close, Cas!” Dean moaned, arching up off the bed as he came harder than he ever had before. It took him several minutes to catch his breath, and then the embarrassment hit.

“Oh…my…God…” He covered his eyes with his hands and groaned.

“No, Dean. Look at me. Please.” 

He dropped his hands and looked over at the computer.

“Please Dean, don’t be embarrassed, that was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

“I’ve never done this before. I feel like an idiot.” Dean reached over to grab the box of tissues on his night stand and hurried to clean himself up. 

“You’re not alone. I’ve never done this kind of thing before either. I mean…since I saw you earlier, my mind was running wild and I was like dreaming this would happen, but damn, that probably just made my entire week. You don’t ever have to feel embarrassed with me, ok?” Cas felt that maybe this was a part of Dean’s self-esteem issue. But good lord that had been the sexiest thing he had ever seen in his life! If he couldn’t have Dean with him, in his bed, then this was the next best thing, and he definitely didn’t want it to stop here.

Dean flipped over onto his stomach like he had earlier, and crossed his arms under his head. He turned to look at the computer screen and Cas, his eyes widening when he realized he was looking at a completely naked, very hard, and absolutely gorgeous man.

“I thought you came?” Dean asked, lifting his head. He was watching as Cas’s hand moved in slow, languid stroked up and down his rather impressive length. His ass clenched at the thought of Cas filling him up, pressing his body down on top of Dean’s as he thrust into him. He watched with rapt attention as Cas’ breathing sped up and the speed of his strokes began increasing. The moans and whimpers spilling from those amazing lips were incredible. As Cas came for a second time Dean watched with fascination. He’d never seen another man come like that outside of porn, and certainly never for him. It wasn’t like he had slept with a lot of people. It was usually harmless flirting, a couple of brief flings that weren’t satisfying in the least, and what counted as two serious relationships, if that’s what you wanted to call them. Aaron, just out of high school, and Cassie. He was with her almost a year until she cheated on him. 

The sex with Aaron had been ok, but the man had been self-conscious about his body and would never have let Dean just watch him masturbate like that, whether in the same room or states away on a video chat. He didn’t like watching Dean do it either. He was a man of action, have sex, be done with it. The few other men he’d done things with had never stuck around long enough for things like this, so all of this was new for Dean. But…he liked it. Watching Cas come undone made his own performance a lot less embarrassing. This was something they were sharing together, and his shame lessened dramatically.

“You’re so incredible, Cas. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone so beautiful.” The words that slipped from Dean’s mouth sounded almost reverent. This man, despite how far away he was, was his boyfriend. He cared about Dean, wanted to be with him, wanted Dean in his life, and he was the most beautiful person he thought he had ever laid eyes on. Seeing him utterly fall apart like this, it was something he wanted to experience in person, not just across the internet, though he had to admit, this was infinitely more satisfying than watching porn. Cas turned his head and smiled at him and Dean was pretty sure his heart skipped a beat at the sight of it. 

Cas got himself cleaned up but neither man was in any hurry to get dressed. Each knew that if one put on even so much as a pair of boxers, they both would, and they were both enjoying the view too much to want to miss out. After his clean up, Cas flipped onto his stomach to mirror Dean’s position. They were sated and sleepy now, but neither wanted to disconnect.

“I don’t want to log off.” Cas said as he yawned for the hundredth time. I want to be lying next to you as you fall asleep.” Dean smiled and reached out to touch the screen.

“I know, babe, I want that too, but our computers will die before morning. And we both have work in a couple of hours.” Dean’s eyelids were growing heavy and he was having problems keeping them open.

“Doesn’t matter. Go to sleep, Dean. I’ll be here. If the computers die, they die. But I’ll still text you tomorrow, and I’ll even send a few snaps.” Cas promised. Dean nodded, letting his eyes finally slip shut. As he drifted off Cas smiled and reached out to touch the screen. He wished desperately that he and Dean were together, in the same place. With his hand still on the monitor he slipped quietly into the abyss of sleep, dreaming of green eyes and warm, bronze skin. It was the best sleep he’d had in ages.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So who all needed an ice cold shower after that? Lol. Leave me a comment. I REALLY want to know what you thought of that one!


	4. Cas Makes a Porno (Or Just Does Hot Snap Chat Sexting)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after mind blowing Skype sex Cas gets a pleasant surprise as he's getting ready to leave for work. Once he's at work he and Dean share some Snap Chats that get them both a little heated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yes, some smut carries over into this chapter. Enjoy!

Sure enough, the computers were dead the next morning. Cas had to take his to work with him so he slipped it and it’s charger into his bag before heading for the shower. The warm water felt good and as he lathered his hair his thoughts turned to the night before. He hadn’t intended for it to go that far yet with Dean. Sure, they’d been talking for three months now, but could that really be considered dating? Perhaps. Last night was supposed to be a coming clean of sorts, admitting that his life growing up had not been perfect. To show Dean that he was not alone. And then THAT had happened. He moaned softly just thinking of how amazing Dean had looked, stretching himself, stroking that beautiful cock that he wanted so badly to put his mouth on. 

Dean was nothing like any man he had ever dated before. He wasn’t some stuffy professor or cocky lawyer. And he was the first person Cas had ever told about his childhood. He’d not even told Dick, and he’d been with him for two long, and in the end, miserable years. Dean was easy to talk to, and he listened. He heard what Cas had to say, and he respected him. Was it possible that he could see himself spending his life with the beautiful mechanic? There was no argument there. Hell yes he could! He wanted to wake up every morning next to that face, to be able to reach over and touch Dean whenever he wanted. Dean had issues, but so did he. Trust was a big one for him. 

They hadn’t gotten through the rest of his bad habits but tonight he hoped to rectify that. And he prayed Dean wouldn’t push him away because of them. He was far from perfect, he knew that. All he wanted was to be loved. Dick hadn’t loved him. Neither had James. Maybe, just maybe Dean could though. 

After his shower Cas returned to his room to start getting dressed. A light flashing in the upper corner of his phone alerted him to a notification but he finished getting dressed before he went to see what it was for. He smiled when he saw that there was a snap waiting for him. When he opened it, he found a picture of Dean’s face smiling.

“Good morning gorgeous!” It read. Cas took a screen shot of it. He couldn’t help it. Dean’s smile was one of the most breathtaking things he had ever seen in his life and he wanted to hold on to it forever. He held the camera up and took a quick picture of himself, adding the caption ‘Good morning to you too beautiful!’, and hit send. 

He put his socks and shoes on, grabbed his laptop bag and headed down to the kitchen. The coffee pot was set to automatically brew and as he walked into the kitchen the rich scent of fresh coffee filled his nose. His thermos was waiting and as he filled it his phone chirped with another notification. This one was from his brother Gabe. 

Gabe: Guess what little brother?

He added cream and sugar to the thermos, twisted the lid on tightly and shook it to mix it up. Some things he was a bit lazy on.

Cas: What?

Gabe: I moved.

Cas: Really? When? If you had called me I would have driven out to help you. Where did you move to? Did you sell your house?

Gabe: I did. And I didn’t need help, I got Russell and the guys to help. However, I will need help unpacking come this weekend if you have the time.

Cas: How far are we talking? Do I have to drive more than six hours? Would it be better for me to fly?

Gabe: You don’t have to drive any further than the other end of town. I moved to Mapleton.

Cas’ jaw dropped in a mixture of shock and excitement.

Cas: Seriously?

His doorbell rang. He lifted his head and turned to look at the door. Who on earth would be coming over at this hour? The ranch hands almost never came up to the house. He crossed the room and opened the door.

“What in the hell?” He gasped when he saw his brother standing there. “You’re already in town?!”

Gabe grinned, holding his arms out and Cas quickly hugged him. “Darn right I am. I took a position at your esteemed university. I will be teaching two different art classes, and an intro to psych course for the newbies. Are you glad to see me?”

“Of course I am! Come on in!” Cas pulled his brother into the house and shut the door. “I was just getting my stuff together before I leave. Are you starting today?” He asked as he led his brother into the kitchen.

“Yes I am. I wanted this to be a surprise. I don’t like being so damn far away from my only family. How have you been? You look good.” Gabe observed as he took a coffee mug out of the cabinet and poured himself a cup. He came in to spend time at Cas’ house so often that he knew already where everything was. 

“I am doing very well, actually.” Cas replied, his smile bright despite the early hour. His brother eyed him for a moment before his eyes narrowed.

“If I didn’t know any better I’d say you got laid last night. Did you?” 

Cas blushed and hurried to the fridge to grab the lunch he had prepared yesterday. “That’s really none of your business, Gabe.” 

Gabe barked out a laugh, grinning wide and pointing at him. “Ha! That’s not a flat out no, so that means you did! Who is he? What does he look like? Please tell me you didn’t go back to Dick…” He groaned out the last part.

“Oh hell no, Dick and I have been over a long time, and there is no going back to that. I’d rather gouge my eyes out. I’m seeing someone. Have been for a little while now. His name is Dean.” Cas replied as he found his thermal lunch bag and slipped his lunch into it.

“Dean? Why am I just now hearing about this man? Is it serious?” Gabe sat down at the massive island that sat in the center of the kitchen on one of the black, leather bar stools and sipped at his coffee while he waited for an answer.

“I think it is. I care about him very much.” Cas replied.

“Well, well, well. I must see what this man that you care so much about looks like. Is he hot?” Gabe waggled his eyebrows, making Cas laugh.

“He’s absolutely the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Cas replied. He set his bags and the thermos on the island and pulled his phone out of his pocket. Pulling up the picture he had taken the snap shot of, he showed his brother.

“Holy hell, the man is a God!” 

Cas chuckled as his brother’s jaw actually dropped. “I know. I am a very lucky man. `And he’s nothing like the other men I’ve dated. He’s very down to earth, sweet, funny, and incredibly sexy.”

“So when do I get to meet him?” Gabe asked as he handed the phone back.

Cas sighed deeply as he gathered his bags up. He started for the door and motioned for Gabe to follow him. “About that. He’s…in Chicago.” He said as they stepped out on the massive wrap around deck.

“Well when is he getting back?” 

“He’s not, Gabe. He lives in Chicago.” Cas replied.

“Wait, how did you even meet him?”

Cas rolled his eyes and sighed even louder. “Online, are you happy now?”

Gabe as was quiet for a moment. “By the way, for today, as a surprise, I got a ride out here. You get to enjoy my wonderful company all the way to work.” He said as they reached Cas’ car.

“Fine, get in.”

They got into the car and buckled themselves in. Gabe still hadn’t said anything about the fact that he had met Dean online. They were a third of the way to town when he did finally speak up.

“You’re sure you trust this guy?”

“Yes. Dean is…” He searched for the right words. “Not like other people I’ve met on the internet. There’s not pretenses with him, nothing fake. He’s incredible.” Cas was being honest. 

“So what are you going to do about the long distance thing?” Gabe asked.

“I’m working on that. He’s not happy in Chicago and wants to expand the auto shop he runs into a chain and open one out in the country. I’m really, really hoping he’ll choose to open it here.” Cas replied.

“You could help him with that, you know. If you care that much about him.” Gabe quietly pointed out.

“I think he would take offense if I did. The last thing I want to do is anger him and push him away. He’s the kind of guy that is used to taking care of himself and those around him, not being take care of himself.” Cas explained.

“So, my little Cassie has found someone that wants to take care of him. Well I’ll be damned.” Gabe looked at his brother, the deep affection he felt for the man obvious in his eyes. Cas just smiled. He was ok with Dean wanting to take care of him since the only person that had ever really stepped up to take on that job was Gabe himself. 

The morning classes were spent administering the last tests for the year before he gave out the finals, so it was a rather quiet morning. He put his phone on silent and sipped at his coffee as he went over what questions he wanted to add to his final exams. The blue blinking light on his phone alerted him that he had a notification. He opened it to see that he had text.

Dean: How is your morning going? I think I found a new mechanic. Kid came in this morning fresh out of college but with years of experience working for his dad. Only three more to hire and then maybe I can BREATHE. How is your morning going? I believe I am two hours ahead of you, so I’m heading to lunch now. I’m starving!

Cas smiled as he read the message.

Cas: It’s quiet. I’m giving the last test of the year before finals. Right now I’m just going over what questions I want to put on the final. Oh, I got good news today, my brother moved to town. He’ll be teaching here. Wait, maybe that’s not good news; that means he’ll always be at my house. Perhaps this is bad news…

Dean: Nah, he’s family. It’s cool that he moved closer. I wish my brother was closer. He’s in his second year now. Two more to go and then he’s transferring to the other end of the country to attend Harvard. Told you he was smart. He got the brains in the family.

Cas: Hush, you’re a very intelligent man. Don’t let me hear you saying things like that. I am sapiosexual and you wouldn’t have a chance with me if I didn’t think you were smart.

Dean: My turn to Google.

Cas chuckled before catching himself. He looked up to see a couple of his students watching him. A stern look had them darting their eyes back to the tests in front of them. He turned his attention back to his phone.

Dean: Oh….so brains turn you on. Not just my freckles?

Cas: Smart ass. Initially, your intelligence. The freckles and green eyes were a definite bonus.

Dean: You sweet talker, you. Am I bothering you at work? I can leave you be if you want.

Cas: No, you are a welcome distraction from staring at questions about plant anatomy and reproduction.

Dean: Anatomy, huh? Are you teaching your students about plant sex there, Cas?

He wanted to chuckle again but this time he caught himself.

Cas: Well, it IS part of their lessons. 

Dean: Plant anatomy is fascinating but I find yours to be much more interesting.

Cas could feel his cheeks beginning to burn and he hoped no one would notice.

Cas: The feeling is mutual. Btw, I slept very well last night. Was actually in a good mood when I woke up today.

Dean: Same here. 

Cas: You’re not still feeling embarrassed, I hope. Because I truly enjoyed that last night. Twice in fact.

Dean: Damn, babe, I’m at work. Don’t get me started on how much I enjoyed last night. When you go to lunch, check your snaps. I’m going to send a couple to you.

Cas: Interesting. I’ll keep an eye out for them.

Dean: Ok, lunch is over and I have inventory to complete. Numbers aren’t matching up so someone wasn’t keeping records the right way. This is what I deal with on a daily basis. I’ll talk to you later. We’re still on for tonight?

Cas: Absolutely.

Dean: I’ll let you know when I’m home.

Cas set the phone aside and went back to deciding on questions for the botany final. When the class ended he had a free period which was when he usually took his lunch. Grabbing his bags, he headed for his office. 

It was a five minute walk to reach his tiny office at the back of the biology department but once he was inside he locked the door and tossed his laptop bag on the couch. He took his lunch and popped it in the microwave and pulled out his phone as he waited the two minutes for the food to warm up. Sure enough, he had snaps waiting. 

The first one he opened had him laughing. Dean looked sexy in his work coveralls but what made him laugh was the look of annoyance on his face as a man also dressed in dark blue coveralls was dancing just behind him with a wrench in his hand. The caption below the picture read: ‘Benny’s dancing to Taylor Swift’. He turned to face the microwave and took a picture of it. He wrote the caption ‘Time for lunch FINALLY!’, and sent it. 

The microwave dinged, signaling that it was done cooking. He grabbed a hand towel he kept in the office for exactly this reason and fished the hot dish of leftover chili from the machine. Carrying that and his phone to his desk, he sat down to eat. Already there was another snap waiting. He opened it to see a close up of Dean’s bright green eyes. Every lash stood out and he could almost count all the freckles that were scattered across the man’s nose and cheeks. He was so busy staring he almost forgot to eat. The caption under the picture read ‘Since you love my freckles so much’. And Cas did, he really did love them. To tease Dean back he brought the camera closer and widened his eyes in his best imitation of innocent. Dean would see right through it, but that was the point. He typed the caption ‘Teasing isn’t nice’, and hit send.

After a few spoonfuls of chili, another snap came through. This one made him drop his spoon entirely, splattering chili all over his tie and the papers on his desk, though he didn’t notice. Instinctively he took a screen shot, grinning at the fact that he knew Dean would be aware he’d done it. Would he have even sent it if he thought he wouldn’t? He highly doubted that. His heart was thumping hard in his chest and he was so very glad that he was alone in his office and not in his classroom when this picture came through because it made him instantly hard. Dean must have snuck off to the bathroom because he Cas could see the toilet behind him. What was really holding his attention though was the fact that Dean had dropped his coveralls and jeans to the floor, and he a perfect view of Dean’s dripping cock. The caption read ‘The things you do to me, Cas’. He moaned softly and palmed the throbbing pressure between his legs. There was no way he could go back and teach with THAT pressing against his pants. Two could play at this game though. 

Cas pulled up the picture he had just taken the screen shot of as he unzipped his pants and pulled out his own cock. He pulled out a couple of towels and laid one over his pants and one over his shirt to prevent semen from splashing onto them before he took hold and began to stroke. It felt good, but not as good as he imagined it would feel if Dean were there. As he felt his orgasm building he began to record. He let out a few soft moans before releasing almost as hard as he had the night before, his own semen shooting out and splattering all over his towel covered chest and even hitting his face. He licked at the drop that landed on his lip, his eyes never leaving the screen. The video ended and he played it back to make sure it would have to desired effect he was looking for before sending it. He didn’t even bother with a caption. The video said it all.

Cas cleaned himself up and quickly ate the rest of his chili before he checked his phone again. He laughed loudly when he saw that this time it was a series of texts.

Dean: What the hell was THAT?!

Dean: Dude! That was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen and I can’t screen shot it!

Dean: That was NOT FAIR CAS! I’m so hard it hurts, and I already came once just thinking about you today.

Dean: Are you back in the classroom already? I had to excuse myself to the bathroom AGAIN. I think Benny is on to me.

Cas: I was cleaning myself up and finishing up my lunch real quick. After that I was starving. I’m not sorry though. ;)

Dean didn’t reply until halfway through the next class.

Dean: Sorry, customer came in, brake pads are shot. Hasn’t changed them since she got the car. In 2005! What is wrong with people?!

Cas: They clearly don’t respect their vehicles. They’re lucky to have someone like you working on their cars.

Dean: Thank you, now would you tell THEM that? They think I’m gouging them. We’re in Chicago. Of course our prices are high! Triple taxes and such. I let her call two other places to get quotes and she ended up sticking with us. They were both nearly two times what we charge, and we’re already overpriced. I may run the place but I do not set the pricing. 

Cas: You will be happy to know that I take excellent care of all of my vehicles. Routine maintenance I do myself but the high end stuff I go to the local shop. I don’t much like them though, they’re limited in what they are able to do and they are ridiculously slow.

Dean: Sounds like you need a good auto shop out there.

Cas’ heart leapt at the words on his screen. He quickly typed back.

Cas: Yes, we absolutely do. The only shop around here for a hundred miles is run by a man that has to be close to a hundred, and his only son died in ‘Nam, so he has a couple of good ole country boys working for him, and are they ever a lazy bunch. He gets a ton of business because of his location, but he’s so backed up because they are slow and inefficient. An oil change takes about three hours, and you need to schedule at least three weeks in advance. Brakes you can expect your car back in about a week.

Dean: That’s ridiculous. Is he planning to retire soon?

Cas: If he doesn’t drop dead soon, I assume so.

Dean: I’m sorry, babe, I have another customer. Lady in a fender bender, except her radiator blew. Talk to you tonight?

Cas sighed a little too loudly at being called babe again and texted back.

Cas: Yes, just text me the time and trust me, I’ll be there!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would have had the chapter up sooner but I watched The Smosh Movie and then Pitch Perfect 2. You'd think I was a teenage girl, lol. I'm not! But my kids did get me into watching Smosh, and I like them, so when my daughter wanted me to watch it with her earlier, I said yes. Oh, and then we watched an LGBQT movie called I Do. It's on Netflix. Good movie, almost made me tear up! THEN I watched Pitch Perfect 2. Normally I don't watch that many shows in the same night, but no way was I passing on Pitch Perfect 2, I'm a HUGE a capella fan! So...yeah. But the chapter is up now, and I hope you all enjoy it. Love you guys! Leave a comment, let me know what you think. :)


	5. Introductions Are Made

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie wants to meet Cas so Dean arranges for her to come sit in on their Skype session, but Cas has company too. His brother Gabe is over for dinner so Dean gets to meet him as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The boys are still sharing information, getting to know each other, and it's important for Charlie to meet Cas. She's Dean's best friend and the person who's opinion he values the most, aside from maybe his mother's. So while there is no smut in this chapter, the conversation is important.

It was a long day and Dean was thoroughly exhausted by the end of it. The new guy, a skinny kid named Walter was efficient and knew what he was doing, so Dean tasked him with fixing the crazy lady’s brakes while he worked on the busted radiator. Benny fixed two sets of shocks (thank you Chicago pot holes), did four tune ups, and whatever else they got slammed with on a Monday. Saturdays were the worst but since he was running the place, he took Saturdays off, though he remained on call if needed, and he closed shop on Sundays. Bobby didn’t have a problem with that and had done it himself before he retired. He still needed to hire three more competent people in order to keep up with the demand. They weren’t struggling exactly, but there was more work than they could feasibly complete and he hated turning customers away or asking them to come back later. He decided to take the remaining applications home to review them and get Charlie’s opinion on them. 

He had barely stepped through the door before Charlie was all over him.

“I ordered dinner tonight, I hope that’s ok. I didn’t want to interrupt your sexy time with your dream man, and I kind of want my own sexy time later tonight since Dorothy can’t come over til the weekend. I miss her.” She stuck out her lower lip in a pout and Dean bopped it with his finger, making it bounce. 

“What did you order?” He asked as he removed the messenger bag he had started carrying to work. 

“Mexican, that cool?” She asked, following him as he headed to his room.

“Yeah, sounds good. I’ll be farting later, but I guess that’s not your problem since you’ll be holed up in your room and I’ll be holed up in here.” He replied, grinning.

“So…you did reach that point?” She punched him lightly in the arm as he sat on the edge of the bed and pulled his boots off.

“Yeah, last night. I…initiated it but he was game. Shit, I think he might have even undressed faster than I did.” He chuckled.

“You tease!” She laughed.

“You know, he keeps calling me that too. I tell him it wouldn’t be teasing if we were closer.” He sighed and laid back across the bed. She sat down next to him and pulled her legs up under her.

“He said something earlier when he texted me and it’s been bugging me all day.”

“What did he say?” She asked.

“He said where he lives there’s only one auto shop for like a 100 miles, and the guy that owns it is ancient, his descendants are dead, his current employees are incompetent, but the place gets a ton of business. I’m not stupid, I know he was hinting that I should make the old man an offer and buy the place. It’s not like I don’t have the money. My credit’s good, I could do it, and Bobby would back me if I put the Singer name on it and made it Singer Winchester Auto. I could leave Benny here to run this one but shit, we’re hurting bad for employees right now. And if I cut out to go live in Montana the guys would hate me.” He scrubbed his hands over his face in irritation. “I don’t even know if I’d like Montana.”

Charlie listened to everything he had to say with patience and understanding. That was one of the things he loved about her.

“But what if you end up loving Montana? And what if you buy that shop and do so well you make a chain out there? What if that’s where your happiness really is? Everyone knows you’re not happy in Chicago. You’re from the country Dean, and that’s where you belong. You have a crazy hot boyfriend and if he’s dropping hints like that, I think someone might be darn close to in love, not that I blame him. Give it a little more time, keep getting to know each other, and then once you are sure of how you feel and you have the shop here up to full capacity, go talk to Bobby, see what he says.” She twirled a lock of her bright red hair as she talked. “I get to meet him tonight, right?”

“Shit, I forgot to tell him I’m even home.” He sat up and pulled out his phone.

Dean: Sorry, I just got home. Going to take a quick shower and then I’ll load Skype, ok? And, um Charlie wants to meet you tonight, if that’s ok.

He stood up and stripped out of his tee shirt. The coveralls stayed at work. Charlie took that as her cue to leave.

“Let me know when to come back. Dinner should be here soon.” She said as she left.

His phone chimed and he practically lunged at the bed to grab it.

Cas: Sounds good. It looks like tonight you’ll get to meet my brother as well, he’s staying to bum food off of me because he hasn’t unpacked yet. I’ll be cooking, just text me when you’re done, however I cannot be held responsible for the thoughts that pass through my head of you standing naked under the stream of water. You have teacher kinks? I think I just developed a few mechanic ones. We’ll talk later.

Dean grinned as he tossed the phone back on his bed. He grabbed clean boxers and headed for the bathroom. The hot water felt good. It stripped away all the sweat and grease, leaving him feeling clean. After drying off he put on the underwear, deliberately choosing his most form fitting pair of boxer briefs. He wondered what Cas would think if he knew about his panty kink. Only Charlie knew about it, but she didn’t gossip, and she didn’t judge. Hell, he knew she kept a variety of strap-ons in her closet! He didn’t care. 

Returning to his room he saw the notifications flashing on his phone. Another text. As he flopped back on the bed and pulled it up he expected it to be from Cas, but instead it was from the girl he’d told Cas about, the one he had briefly dated at the beginning of the year, the one that had up and disappeared without a word. What did she want?

Lisa: Hey Dean, it’s been a while. How have you been? Sorry I didn’t text sooner, my dad died and I had a really hard time. I went to stay with my sister in Kentucky for a while, but I’m back now. I was hoping maybe we could talk?

Dean ran a hand through his hair and let out the breath he’d been holding. Lisa was fine, curves in all the right places and long, soft hair that he liked pulling on when he pounded into her the one and only time they’d had sex, but he wasn’t in to her like that, even back when they’d dated. He felt bad about her dad though.

Dean: I’m sorry about your dad, that’s rough. How are you holding up? I hope you’re ok. What kind of talking did you have in mind exactly? Like as friends? I’m cool with being friends, but nothing more. I’m seeing someone.

He was just booting up his computer when she texted back.

Lisa: Oh, you have a girlfriend? I thought…never mind. Yeah, I’m doing better. My dad’s in a better place and I know that now. Do I know her?

Dean had just loaded up Skype and already Cas was calling. What, was the guy sitting on the computer just watching and waiting for him to come online? He laughed to himself. Probably. He accepted the call just as he was tugging a tee shirt over his head.

“Oh, not fair!” Cas complained. Dean chuckled.

“Hey, you said your brother’s there. I’m being respectful.” 

Cas glared over his shoulder where Dean could make out the figure of another man. He walked over to the computer and leaned down so Dean could see him clearly.

“Hey there Dean-O! So you’re the heartthrob my brother keeps gushing about. I can see why. My baby brother has good taste.” Gabe grinned impishly and Cas punched him in the arm.

“Shut up and go eat your chicken.” He pushed Gabe away before turning his attention back to Dean. He smiled so warmly it made Dean’s heart race to see it.

“Hey gorgeous.” He said and it sent chills down Dean’s spine.

“Hey yourself.” 

Dean’s phone chimed again and he opened it to see another text from Lisa.

“Goddamn it…” He muttered.

“Something wrong?” Cas asked.

Dean sighed and looked up at the screen, studying Cas’ face for a moment. Relationships were based on honesty. Good relationships were anyway.

“I feel that if we’re going to be together, regardless of distance, I…don’t want to see anyone else. I am monogamous.” He bit down on his lower lip as he stared into those blue eyes. If Cas wanted this to stay open it was really going to break his heart. His phone chirped again and he clenched his jaw as he ignored it.

“I’m glad you brought that up. I don’t share, Dean. And I don’t fool around on the side. If I say I want you, you’re the only one I want, and the only one I’ll be with, regardless of distance.”

Gabe made kissy noises from the kitchen and Cas flipped him the bird. Dean snorted.

“You have a relationship like I do with my brother.” He laughed.

“It’s healthy. Even when he’s an asshole!” Cas shouted the last word over his shoulder and got the middle finger in return. He turned his attention back to Dean. “Sorry about that, sometimes he’s like a five year old. And to think, he’s the one in his thirties!”

 

I heard that!” Gabe pouted.

“My brother’s twenty but I’d bet he’s more mature than Gabe there.” Dean said with a grin.

“I’m not sure I approve of you anymore, Dean.” Gabe pointed his fork at the computer.

“I’ll win you over, I’m adorable.” Dean’s grin grew wider and as his eyes met Cas’ he felt the butterflies exploding in his belly. There was so much affection in those blue eyes it took his breath away.

Dean’s phone chimed again and this time he did get mad. He grabbed it and shot off a less than polite text to Lisa telling her to leave him the hell alone.

“Are you alright?” Cas asked, worriedly. Clearly whoever kept texting Dean, the man wanted nothing to do with.

“I believe in honesty too. No secrets.” Dean blurted. Cas nodded slowly.

“I do agree. What is this about, Dean?”

“That’s an ex texting him, and apparently they’re not getting the picture when he told them no the first time.” Gabe chimed in.

“Bingo.” Dean said miserably.

“Are you ok though?” Cas asked him.

“Yeah, but you need to understand that I went out with her like…three times, and she was about as interesting as a wet rag. Then she up and disappeared until now. No call, no text, nothing. Out of the blue tonight she texts me. Her dad died, so she left town for a while to get away and grieve. She’s back and seems to think we’re just going to pick up where we left off. Like seven months ago! I told her I was sorry about her dad, because that’s the polite thing to do, and then she asked if we could talk. I said no, I’m with someone. So she started asking me who. It’s none of her business, I’m not interested, and I told her as much. I just texted that to her cause she’s not listening.” Dean explained. He gnawed on his lower lip, worrying it almost to the point of bleeding, afraid Cas would be mad. But the other man literally just waved it off.

“She wants what she can’t have. Her loss because I couldn’t walk away from someone as amazing as you.” 

Dean blushed, his lip sliding out from between his teeth as he broke out into a grin.

“I think…I’m going to leave, before I hurl. Thank you for dinner, bro. Please do not share the details of your sexcapades tomorrow.” Gabe said as he put his dish in the sink and headed out of Dean’s view completely. Cas said goodbye and a moment later Dean heard a door open and then shut.

“Geez, I lucked out with you Cas.” Dean smiled shyly. He still didn’t know how he managed to have this wonderful man stumble into his life.

“Actually, I believe I’m the lucky one.” Cas said.

“I agree! Dean’s wonderful!” Charlie cried as she walked into his room with two bags of food.

“Food!” Dean reached for one of the bags and dug into it.

“Take out? What did you get?” Cas asked.

“Mexican. There’s a great little Mexican place around the corner, they just take forever to deliver.” Charlie replied as she plopped down on the bed next to Dean. “Hi! Nice to meet you, Cas, I’m Charlie.” She greeted him cheerfully.

“Nice to meet you as well, Charlie.” Cas told her.

“So what are you guys talking about?” She asked as she pulled a taco out of a foam container and bit into it.

“How I’m going to win Cas’ brother over.” Dean said, grinning as he tore the aluminum paper off of a huge burrito.

“That looks good. I’ll be right back, we can all eat together.” Cas got up and they could see him walk into his kitchen.

“He’s even better looking than his picture.” Charlie said to Dean. 

“I told you he was gorgeous. Talk to him for five minutes and you’ll see what a great guy he is.” He bit into the burrito and moaned. “Damn it’s been too long since I’ve had good Mexican.”

“Hey now, those noises aren’t fair!” Cas teased as he walked back over and sat down with his plate of food.

“What is that?” Dean asked as he looked at everything on the plate.

“Well, I grow my own vegetables so this is sort of a succotash. It’s corn, red peppers, onions, and mushrooms. I bought the mushrooms though. And this is garlic infused quinoa and brown rice. Oh, and this is chicken breast with a homemade herb rub.” Cas pointed out each thing on his dish and Dean listened with fascination.

“I’ve never had quinoa, it’s that good?” He asked. Cas nodded as he put a forkful in his mouth.

“Oh yes, and I’ve learned to cook it a dozen different ways. I told you, when you come out here and if you let me, I’ll happily cook for you.” 

Dean glanced over at Charlie who was trying to stifle a laugh by shoving her taco in her mouth.

“It’s heading into fall now, but maybe once I get the shop fully staffed I can head out that way. Sure you won’t be bored with me by then?” He asked. Cas set his fork down and looked right at him.

“Dean, that’s not going to happen.”

“Alright.” Dean conceded. 

“So, Cas. What is your favorite movie?” Charlie asked.

They launched into a half hour long conversation about Harry Potter and Star Wars which amused Dean. He jumped in from time to time but he enjoyed watching his best friend and his boyfriend getting along. He wanted Charlie’s approval and seeing how animated she was in talking to the man, he was pretty sure he had it. He wondered what Sam would think of Cas.

“Well, I’m done and I have a paper on algorithms to write. I’ll see you bitches later.” She got up from Dean’s bed and gathered all the trash up. When she was gone Dean stretched out on the bed and groaned at how full he felt.

“As much as I love Mexican food, I would have preferred to eat what you were having tonight. It sounded and looked really good.” He said. Cas was getting up, taking the laptop with him to his room, just as he’d done the night before. Dean wasn’t sure he was up for sex though, he felt close to exploding.

“I’ll give you some recipes if you’d like.” Cas offered as he set the laptop down on the bed. He walked out of frame and Dean could hear the sound of clothing ruffling.

“Hey, we didn’t finish our conversation last night.” He said.

“What conversation was that?” Cas asked. When he reappeared in front of the camera he was dressed in a plain white tee shirt and blue pajama pants. Dean was fairly certain the little yellow things on them were bees. It brought a smile to his face.

“Your worst flaws. You only told me one.” Dean replied.

“Which did I tell you?” Cas asked as he got comfortable on the bed and set the laptop on his legs.

“You’re not a morning person.”

“Right. Hmm. Ok, so I can be a bit of the jealous type if given reason to be. If I’m in love with someone and they say they’re in love with me and I catch them letting someone feel them up or kiss them or…well, you get the drift, I freak. It’s cause I dated a guy that thought nothing of fooling around with other people whenever he thought I wasn’t paying attention. Made me really insecure for a long time til I realized he was the one that was messed up, not me. It took me way too long to get my senses straight and walk. He’s the one that insulted me when I bought this place. Thinks he’s better than me. Well, he thinks he’s better than most people actually. I didn’t like the way he made me feel, like I was paranoid, worried all the time. I was afraid I’d contract something from him. I got tested every month for a year after I broke up with him, and we used protection.” Cas shuddered at the memory.

“What if they flirt with me but I don’t flirt back?” Dean asked.

“I’ve been known to put people in their place. Politely, yet forcefully.” Cas replied. So Cas was possessive. Dean was pretty sure that with positive reinforcement and proving that he wasn’t the type to play around he would earn Cas’ trust. He had a jealous streak of his own.

“Ok, well, if I’m not interested I put people in their place on my own. I am friendly by nature and it oftentimes gets mistaken for flirting. All I am doing is being nice though. I don’t cheat, ever. If I’m not happy in a relationship, I walk. No reason to stay when you’re miserable.” 

“I agree. That’s why I walked away from my last relationship. Sure, he didn’t want to come with me, but I didn’t want him here. He said I was going to become some hillbilly redneck. I couldn’t believe he said that! I told him not to worry, I didn’t want any cheating assholes living in my new house with me anyway and that he was not welcome.” Cas was angry thinking about his ex and he didn’t want that carrying over into this conversation with Dean. He didn’t want the man thinking he was bitter. 

“He sounds like a royal douche.” Dean remarked. Cas barked out a laugh.

“That’s an understatement.”

“Hang on, I have a little work to do as we talk, if that’s ok.” Dean said as he set the computer down and got up.

“Yeah, that’s fine. I’m sitting here grading papers anyway. You can’t see it because they’re online. I’m doing it split screen.” Cas replied.

Dean returned to the bed with his messenger bag and pulled out the applications. He had a decent stack of them to go through for which he was grateful.

“Looks like you’re the one grading papers.” Cas joked.

“I think that would be easier. These are applications. I need to go through them and pick out the most qualified candidates. The last few I interviewed, one guy ticked me off right away. Got cocky, said I was too young to be running the place. Implied that if he was hired, he would move up and become my boss. I pointed at the door and told him he was not going to be considered for any position I have. He then had the audacity to ask for my supervisor. I snapped. I said I WAS the supervisor, and my word was final. He actually threw the chair as he left. Asshole. I red flagged his application and pinned it to my corkboard as a reminder that even after we branch out, he is NEVER to be hired by any shop we open. I’m also arranging it so that I have final say over all new hires, no matter where I’m at. I am inheriting the place eventually anyway and I will maintain final say on all new hires, no matter where I am or where the shop is. So if this becomes a chain, I will hold the final say over all of them.” Dean explained as he pulled a red pen out and started making notes on the first of the applications.

“That was rude and extremely ignorant. I’d have tossed him out too.” Cas was upset that Dean had to deal with someone like that.

“I get it a lot, actually. People look at me and they see a baby face. They assume I’m like barely out of high school, so they think they have the right to treat me like crap. I’ve learned to use it to my advantage though. I get a real glimpse of people’s true colors when I am not immediately up front with who I am and the fact that I almost always hold a degree higher than they do. It helps me to weed out the ones that judge a person based on their looks. Anyone that can judge the person potentially hiring them will judge my customers, and I won’t stand for that. If they can’t show respect for me, they have no place in my employment.” Dean scrunched up his nose as he read the qualifications for one of the applicants.

“You sound wise beyond your years, Dean.” Cas told him.

As Dean continued to look over the applications they talked, discussing what he was looking for in potential applicants, and what he was trying to avoid. He was surprised to see an application at the bottom from his friend Jo. He knew she had the experience, she’d worked under the hood with him for years when they were kids. He thought she was away in college though.

“My friend Jo applied.” He murmured, more to himself than to Cas.

“And does he have the experience?” Cas asked.

“She, and yeah, I taught her practically everything she knows. She helped me rebuild a Ford Fairlane. Wait, do you know cars?” Dean looked up and Cas shrugged.

“I know them, and I can identify most of the classics, but I can’t work on them.” 

“Ok, but you know what a Fairlane is?”

Cas nodded.

“Ok. Well, this guy dumped one at my uncle’s junkyard and it was in the worst state possible. Couldn’t even be driven. I saw it, asked my uncle if I could have it. I actually paid him $200 for it. Smart man, he knew I’d put it together and it would be worth a small fortune when I was done. So I tried to get my brother to help me, but he was never interested in cars. Jo though, she…had a crush on me. I was eighteen, she was thirteen, it was never, ever going to happen. I’ve always looked at her as more of a little sister than anything. After a while she figured that out and the crush went away. Besides, she is the only woman I know that can physically kick my ass. Anyway, she stepped up and said that if I showed her what to do, she’d help. So it took us two years but we got that car fixed up beautifully. I paid for every part myself. Every part I removed, I put in an original part. When I painted it, I special ordered the paint. The car looked exactly like it had just rolled off the showroom floor in 1957. It was gorgeous. Want to know how much I sold her for?” Dean cocked an eyebrow, his grin was wicked.

“Oh do tell.” Cas smiled back.

“$54,500.” Dean replied. Cas’ stopped grading papers to gape at him.

“You’re serious?”

“I put about thirteen thousand into her restoration, but I knew if I did it right, she’d sell.” Dean replied.

“And you’re not restoring cars for a living WHY?!” Cas took the computer off his legs and set it down at the foot of the bed before stretching out in front of it on his stomach.

Dean shrugged. “I like it, but it’s not always reliable. I do it on the side though and sell the cars. I’ll never sell my baby though. That’s my pride a joy, a ’67 Chevy Impala. When I come see you, you’ll get to see her in all her glory, and if you’re good and keep your fingers off my radio, I’ll even let you ride in her.” He teased, winking at his boyfriend. Cas rolled his eyes but he was grinning like a fool.

“Oh, well that sounds romantic.” He said dryly.

“Hey, I can be romantic, but I have rules in my car. No feet on the dashboard, no animals, and drivers picks the music, shotgun shuts his cakehole.”

Cas burst out laughing and shook his head. “Let me guess, these rules are in effect because of your brother, right?” Dean laughed and nodded.

“Unfortunately, yes. He was a terror as a kid with touching anything that wasn’t his. Still does it.” 

“So does my brother, and he’s thirty one!” Cas dropped his head into his hands in mock despair that just made Dean laugh harder.

They continued to talk until they were both having difficulty keeping their eyes open. As they had the night before they left the computers on and laid down next to one another. Dean fell asleep first and even thought the room was dark, Cas could make out his boyfriend’s sleeping form on the screen, and he loved how he looked as he slept. As sleep finally began to take over a single thought came to mind, he was in love with the man on the other end of the connection.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Dean is picking up on Cas' hints, and it's giving him foor for thought. Could he really run a shop all on his own in an unfamiliar place? And would he even like Montana? 
> 
> You know the drill. Leave a comment, let me know what you think. 
> 
> Heads up, next chapter will be a sad one, but nothing happens to Dean or Cas, so don't worry about them. Just thought I'd give a 24 hour warning. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	6. A Tragic Phone Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean is woken in the wee hours of the morning by a long distance phone call that brings some very bad news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTHING IS WRONG WITH CAS. Just putting that out there. It's a sad chapter, but I do everything for a reason. That being said, I do hope you enjoy the chapter.

The next morning Dean woke to his phone ringing. He groaned and checked the time. It was an hour before he was even supposed to be up. With a few choice swear words he answered the call.

“What?” He snapped.

“Dean?”

He rubbed at his eyes and sat up a little at the sound of his brother’s voice. Something sounded off.

“Sammy? Are you ok?”

“No.” His brother sounded so broken and small it immediately eliminated any sleep that had been lingered.

“What’s wrong, Sammy?”

“It’s Jess…s-she’s dead.” 

Dean could hear the pain in his brother’s voice, it was raw and tortured. He wanted to ask what happened but didn’t feel his brother was in the right place to deal with that at the moment.

“I’m coming to get you, bring you home for a while, ok?”

“Yeah, I can’t stay here.” Sam sniffled.

“I’ll call Bobby, tell him what happened. And I’ll let Benny know that for the rest of the week, he’s in charge.”

“Ok.” Sam agreed.

“It’s going to be ok, Sammy, I’m on my way.” Dean was already on his feet and pulling his clothes out and laying them on the bed. Before he drove anywhere he was taking a shower. He was tired but he wasn’t getting on the road for the next two days without being clean.

“Yeah, ok.” Sam agreed. He was never this amenable. It worried Dean.

“Talk to me.” Dean urged, and quietly listened as Sam explained there was a fire in their apartment a few hours earlier. He tried to get to Jess who had fallen asleep on the couch after forgetting to take a pan off the stove. A nearby dish towel caught fire and the whole place went up in a matter of minutes. Sam had been out with some friends and was just getting dropped off when he saw the smoke. He had burns but they would heal. His heart was another matter entirely.

Dean hung up with his brother, promising to be at his place within the next forty eight hours and went to wake Charlie up and tell her what had happened.

“I’m coming with you.” She slurred as she threw back her Star Wars comforter and got up.

“Nah, you don’t have to come.” He told her. She glared at him with sleepy eyes.

“I want to. He’s my brother too.”

That warmed Dean’s heart to hear her say that. “Ok, pack for a couple days. I’m going to go pack and take a quick shower. We’ll catch breakfast on the way out of the city. I want to leave before rush hour starts.” She nodded, yawning and headed to her dresser.

He left her to get dressed while he went back to his own room to pack. It only took him a few minutes but he had enough clothes to last him there and back. His laptop was still sitting open on the bed, the battery having died hours earlier. Not wanting to miss out on possible time with Cas he packed it into its bag, remembering the charger for it and his phone, and packing those too. 

After a quick shower and shave he met Charlie in the living room. She had the same idea because she was holding her laptop bag in one hand. They locked the apartment up and headed down to the car. Being that he was a mechanic he kept his car in pristine driving condition, so he had no worries that she wouldn’t make it to California just fine. 

They stopped for breakfast sandwiches and gas before jumping on the expressway. If there was one thing he despised it was expressway traffic. They were out of the city by six thirty and he avoided all major cities as they made their way west. Around nine his phone chimed with a notification and he went to fish it out of his pocket but Charlie snatched it away the moment he had it out.

“Hey! No! That could be inappropriate! Don’t!” He complained.

“It’s just a text, no pictures attached. I’ll read what he said, that’s all. Then I’ll tell him you’ll text him in a few hours.” She said. He shot her a dirty look before finally grunting in agreement.

“He said good morning beautiful.” She batted her eyes at Dean, making him blush.

“Yeah, yeah, just give him a brief synopsis of what happened, and let him know it’s you talking, not me. Tell him I’ll text him when we stop for lunch in a few hours.” He said. She nodded and started typing.

Dean: Hi Cas! It’s Charlie! Dean’s driving. We’re on our way to go get Sam. There was a fire last night and his gf died. He wants to come stay with us for a while but Dean said he’ll text you when we stop for lunch later. He brought his computer too, so I expect he’ll want to talk to you on Skype tonight too.

It only took a few minutes before Cas responded.

Cas: Isn’t Sam out in California? I’m so sorry to hear this happened. Is Sam ok? I imagine he’s not doing very well. Please drive safely, that’s a long trip.

“Oh, he’s so sweet!” She gushed as she set Dean’s phone down on the seat between them.

“What did he say?” He asked. He glanced down at the phone but the screen was dark.

“Said drive safe and he’s worried about Sam.” She replied. Dean gave a little half smile. Cas was thoughtful, he liked that.

“Do…” He bit down on his lower lip as he thought it through.

“You want to stop in Montana and see him, don’t you.” She knew exactly what he was thinking. 

“We have to stop anyway, right? It would add on a couple of hours to the trip, but if we left early we could still reach Sam pretty early.” He said.

She already had her phone out and was checking it. “I’m sorry Dean, we can’t, it will tack on another whole day.”

He slumped in his seat and sighed. Damn.

“Maybe on the way back?” She suggested.

“No, Sam will be in bad shape. You know, he was talking about marrying her. Said she was the one.” He looked over at Charlie and she nodded.

“Yeah, I know, we had a long talk a few months back. He was going to start ring shopping the closer they got to graduation.”

“Poor kid, I can’t even imagine what he’s going through.” It dawned on him that he hadn’t called his mother so he fished his Bluetooth out of his pocket and stuck it in his ear. “Dial my mom for me please.” He instructed. Charlie did as asked and he had a brief conversation with her about what had happened. She wanted them to stop through on their way back to Chicago. Dean knew his mother, she was going to try to convince Sam to stay with her so she could baby him. He almost hoped Sam would do it, he deserved a bit of spoiling and extra attention after this. When they hung up he placed another call to Benny to check on the shop. He wasn’t there but he was still in charge and wanted to make sure everything was running smoothly.

“Hey, do me a favor? Give Jo a call and tell her she has the job if she wants it. She can start today or tomorrow. Give her full time hours.” He told his friend.

“You got it, brother. You have a couple more applications too, they came in via email. When you get a chance, check your emails.” Benny said. They hung up and for the next two hours Dean fielded calls from a variety of friends and family members. By midafternoon Dean was starving.

“Time to eat.” He declared as he pulled into the first diner parking lot he spotted. Charlie wasn’t complaining. Before he’d gotten two steps from the car he was texting Cas.

Dean: Hey baby, stopping for lunch. Think we’re in Nebraska now. I wish I had the time to stop and see you but Charlie checked and it would tack on almost another full day to my trip. I’m sorry.

By the time he reached the door and opened it, Cas was texting back.

Cas: I understand. I just hope Sam is alright. I can’t begin to imagine the emotional pain he is experiencing. Was he there when it happened? I hope he doesn’t blame himself.

Dean hadn’t thought of that.

Dean: He was out with some friends. She fell asleep on the couch after making herself some food and I guess she left a pot on the stove. It caught a dish towel on fire and the whole place went up fast. Sammy tried to get to her but it was too late. He has burns on his hands, arms, and face.

Cas: How are you? Are you doing ok on the drive?

Dean smiled. No one ever worried about him and how he felt. Everyone just assumed he was fine all the time. A waitress was showing them to a booth and he followed after Charlie, slipping into the seat opposite her. She was on her phone too, most likely updating Dorothy who would be wondering where she was.

Dean: I’m tired.

Cas: Please don’t try to do the whole trip in one day, that’s a long drive. Get some rest. I don’t want you getting in an accident before I get to see your beautiful face in person.

Dean laughed out loud. “Geez…” He shook his head and stared down at the text with a smile he couldn’t shake on his lips.

“Cas being all sweet again?” Charlie asked. Dean nodded.

“Yeah, he’s pushing me to stop and rest, to not try and do the whole thing at once. Says he doesn’t want me getting in an accident before he gets to see my face in person.” He felt his cheeks redden but he didn’t care. Charlie snorted.

“He’s like the sweetest guy ever.” 

“I will have to find the time to go see him. I need to.” He said. There was determination in those bright green eyes and Charlie smiled.

“Someone’s in love.” She reached across the table and shoved his shoulder lightly.

“What? No…” He scoffed.

“I’m not stupid, Dean. I know your feelings for him are a lot deeper than maybe even you realize, but they’re there nonetheless. And he is so crazy about you. Why don’t you drive up on Christmas break? By then you should have enough people working under you and it will give you enough time overanalyze your feelings like a zillion times while still finding people to work for you.” 

“Mom will kill me if I don’t come home for Christmas.” He reminded her.

“You’re serious about Cas, right?” She asked. He nodded.

“Hell yeah.”

“Then go get him and bring him home for Christmas. Nothing says ‘I’m serious’ like bringing your significant other to meet your family.” She set down the menu she’d been perusing and looked at him. “It’s what, end of August, right? You have three months to decide what you want to do. By then you guys will have officially been dating what, four months? But having been really dating seven? That’s pretty serious, and it would tell Cas you’re really serious about him. Until you guys decide what you want to do about this whole long distance thing.”

The waitress came and took their order while Dean sat and brooded. It was something he was good at, and he had a lot to think about. When would be the right time to bring up the subject of spending the holidays together? And how would he broach the subject? He was still brooding when the food arrived. His phone chimed and he looked down with a smile when he saw it was another text from Cas. When he opened it he burst out laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Charlie asked. He held his phone out so she could see the picture. She giggled at the picture and shook her head.

“I like him. He’s good for you.” 

Dean turned the phone back around and read the message under the picture which was a close up of Cas blowing him a kiss.

Cas: I can picture you sitting there brooding, trying to reason with yourself as to why it would just be better to push through, so I wanted to cheer you up. I care very much about you, Dean and want you to be safe, so please stop at a motel tonight and get at least six hours of sleep. You can thank me for it later when we do get to meet in person. I’ll take mind blowing sex as payment, thank you. Let me know when you stop for the night.

Dean was grinning again, he couldn’t help it.

Dean: Yeah, the picture cheered me up. Cheered Charlie up too. She says she likes you and that you’re good for me. I think she’s right. And how did you know I was brooding? Are you psychic? I promise I’ll stop. As I sit and think about it, I don’t want Sam driving, not with his hands all blistered, and with how miserable he is. And I don’t trust Charlie behind the wheel, she drives like a maniac. So all the driving is on me. I will text you when we reach a motel.

Dean finished his food about ten minutes after Charlie had already finished hers and they left to get gas before hitting the road again. By nightfall they were both yawning. 

“Check and see how far it is from here to Stanford. Are we at least halfway? Can we stop for the night?” He asked her. She pulled out her phone and mapped it.

“We’re more than halfway. But yeah, I want to stop, I have to pee and I’m exhausted.” She said.

Dean decided to spring for a nice hotel room rather than a rundown motel. His back ached and he wanted a decent bed to sleep on. He got a room with two double beds and as he stripped down to his boxers and a tee shirt he plugged his computer in. 

“You going to Skype with Cas?” Charlie asked from her bed where she was setting up her own computer. “I’m going to talk to Dorothy for a while.”

“Yeah, but do you have another set of headphones? I didn’t bring mine.” He replied. She tossed him a pair. He pulled out his phone and sent Cas a text.

Dean: Hey sexy, I listened. I’m at a Hilton Garden Inn and Suites. I needed a soft bed after that drive. Do you want to Skype?

He waited for an answer back from Cas but he got it in the form of a call on his Skype app. Smiling, he got comfortable and hit accept. A few seconds later he was staring at Cas’ face.

“Sexy, huh?” Cas said, laughing.

“Well it’s the truth.” Dean yawned and stretched before leaned back against the pillows.

“Are you wearing headphones? Your voice sounds different.” 

“Yeah, Charlie’s in her bed talking to Dorothy and we’re trying not to bother each other.” Dean replied.

“Ah.” Cas looked at the room Dean was in. “Looks nice. Is the bed comfortable at least?”

“Not as fluffy as it looks.” Dean grumbled.

“I’d give you a back massage if you were here.” Cas’ blue eyes flashed with something Dean recognized as lust.

“Uh, huh. Massage…right…” Dean raised one disbelieving eyebrow making the other man laugh.

“Well, you’d get a full body massage. It might just end up being one that takes care of your insides as well as your outsides.” Cas winked and Dean just smiled.

“Dude, I’d take you up on that too. I spent most of yesterday bent under the hood of a car replacing almost everything on ’92 Corsica. Woman never changed a damn thing since she bought the car in ’99. It was a nightmare. And then all that driving today. I’ll have spasms by the time I finally get home.”

“I’ve been doing some thinking. I really want to see you, but I don’t get a break til Christmas. Maybe one of us could fly out-”

Cas didn’t even get that sentence out completely before Dean practically screamed the word no. Shocked, Cas froze and stared at him. After a moment of stunned silence he finally spoke.

“I…thought you wanted to see me.” There was hurt in those blue eyes and Dean felt guilty for causing it.

“No! I mean, yes, I do want to see you, but Cas, I don’t fly. Ever. I’m terrified of planes. I drive everywhere.” He felt like such a dummy but the look of relief on Cas’ face made that go away quickly.

“Jesus, I thought you had changed your mind. I was about to really freak out. Don’t scare me like that!”

“I’m sorry sweetheart, I just panic at the mere idea of flying. I hate it.” Dean admitted.

“I could fly out to you.” Cas said tentatively. Dean knew he was afraid of rejection.

“I was thinking of this too while I was driving out here. Charlie suggested that I drive up there and pick you up, and…take you home to meet my family.” He scratched nervously at his chin as he waited for Cas to speak.

“You want me to meet your family?” Cas’ face lit up.

“Here’s what I’m going to do. I want to spend some time with you first, so I was thinking I’d take two weeks off right about the time you get your winter break. I’ll drive up to Montana and spend a week there, just you and me. That way if you decide you can’t stand being around me, no harm, no foul. I’ll just go and make the drive to my folks place…” Dean swallowed hard, not wanting to think about the possibility of rejection.

“Stop that, right now!” Cas snapped. Dean looked up in surprise. Cas’ expression was hard but it quickly softened and he reached out, touching the screen. “Do not talk like I won’t want you. I want you so bad it hurts, Dean. I-” Cas pulled the laptop closer, peering up with those blue eyes that Dean was falling so fucking hard for.

“You what, Cas?” Dean didn’t want to force the man, but he was pretty sure he knew what Cas was trying to say. 

“I’m pretty sure I’m falling in love with you.” Cas visibly cringed. Now that the words were out he was terrified he’d be rejected. 

“You’re pretty sure?” Dean asked. Cas shot him a bitch face to rival the ones Sam likes to give and it made him smile.

“Ok, I’m sure I am. You happy now?” 

Dean kissed the tips of two fingers and pressed them to the screen. “Yes, because I feel the same way.”

“Yeah?” Cas was smiling so wide Dean could see every tooth in his mouth.

“Yeah, Cas. I love you.” Dean spoke softly, smiling at his boyfriend.

Cas rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling, groaning loudly.

“What’s the matter babe?” Dean glanced over at Charlie but she was involved in her own conversation, laughing and talking to Dorothy.

“I’m frustrated. You don’t tell someone you love them from hundreds of miles away, you tell them face to face, and you do it romantically. This wasn’t romantic at all.” Cas complained. Dean chuckled.

“When I come up you can make it up to me then, ok?”

Cas flipped back over and looked at him again. “It’s going to kill me to wait until December, you know that?”

“It’s not going to kill you.” Dean was still smiling, he couldn’t help it. How had he managed to fall in love with a man he’d never actually met in person? How did people do regularly? He just wanted to be with Cas, in person. He wanted to hold Cas in his arms, to make love to him, to show the man just how much he needed and wanted him. Maybe it was him that wasn’t going to make it until Christmas.

“Did any of those applications last night pan out?” Cas asked.

“Yeah, I hired Jo. Had Benny call to have her start as soon as possible. I still need at least two more but I have the budget for three.” Dean yawned and stretched again.

“God, you’re gorgeous.” Cas practically growled.

“Says the man that is pure walking sex.” Dean smirked.

“Who, me? Ha!” Cas shook his head. “You know I’m fighting the urge to just call in sick to work for a few days and drive to Chicago.”

“Don’t, I’d hate for you to get in trouble. Besides, you’d be stuck sitting at my apartment while I had to work. I shouldn’t have called in now, but Sam needs me. If Bobby wasn’t my boss I’d have had to spring for a plane ticket and flown him out here. But Bobby get it. He understands that family comes first, and he’s worried about Sam too. We all liked Jess, she was a great girl. I really thought she was going to be my sister in law one day.” Dean sniffled and wiped at one eye.

“I am hoping that I’ll find the people I need to get the shop up to speed. I can’t express how much I hate almost everything about Chicago. Do you know how much I pay for rent?” 

“I’m guessing…$800?” 

“Try $1200. Plus utilities. And that’s just so we’re not living in a shitty neighborhood. I pay for parking, and don’t get me started on the registration fees for my car.” Dean rolled his eyes. He easily paid close to $4,000 every month just to live in that stupid city. It was why he socked away the money he earned rebuilding classic cars. He was saving for his own house and paying off his student loans, though he didn’t tell anyone that, not even Sam. He lived simply so that one day he could fulfill his dreams, but now Cas was a huge part of those dreams.

“Shit, that’s more than my mortgage and insurance combined.” Cas said.

“Yeah. Cook County is a nightmare. Unless you’re a doctor or a lawyer it’s too expensive to live here. If I wasn’t running the shop, trust me, I’d be gone already. I love my uncle and I love my aunt, but I’d have gone home years ago had Bobby not given me this position.”

“I admire your tenacity, Dean. You’re intelligent, frugal where you need to be, and I have this sneaky suspicion I could hand my finances over you to you and you’d probably double it. I have to have a financial advisor because I suck at managing money.” Cas said.

“Dean, I’m going to bed.” Charlie said as she closed her laptop.

“Ok. Goodnight.” He told her.

“Tell her I said goodnight as well. I look forward to meeting her one day soon.” Cas added.

“Cas says goodnight too.” Dean said.

“Night Cas!” Charlie called out loud enough for the man to hear. She disappeared into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

“Go to bed, Dean, you need sleep. We can talk at some point tomorrow. Please text me and tell me how Sam is, ok?” Cas asked.

“Yeah, of course. Text me in the morning before you leave for work.” Dean yawned and covered his mouth.

“Dean?”

He dropped his hand and looked at the monitor. “Yeah?”

“I love you. Sleep well.” 

Dean broke out in a huge grin. “I love you too. Talk to you tomorrow.”

They both logged off and Dean closed his computer. He set it on the nightstand to finish charging and sought out his toothbrush and toothpaste. At least he’d remembered to bring those.

It wasn’t until Dean was snug under the blankets that he realized he didn’t have Cas lying next to him where he could hear the other man breathing and see his face. It felt…wrong, but he was so tired he could barely keep his eyes open. It wasn’t long before he had fallen asleep. He dreamt of blue eyes and gummy smiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...yeah, but she wasn't technically a character in this, so her death is a negligible loss. I needed her gone to keep the story moving forward. I have a plan...
> 
> I hope you liked the chapter though. Leave a comment, let me know what you think. Love you guys!


	7. Cas Meets Sam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean picks Sam up and on the way to Kansas they stop for the night at a motel. Sam is curious about Dean's boyfriend and takes a few minutes to meet him.
> 
> Once they get to Kansas Dean is wiped out. He takes a long nap before going to talk to his parents. After dinner he goes back upstairs with the intentions of going back to sleep, but Cas calls...
> 
> Cas get s a text from someone from his past, and it is not welcome at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy, I love you all.

The rest of the trip to California went by quickly and rather uneventfully. Cas texted frequently and whenever Dean had the chance he stopped to read and respond to them. He nearly fell out of his seat when they’d stopped at a diner right on the California border to find that he had a snap from Cas. The man was gripping his leaking cock in it, the caption reading: ‘Thinking of you baby’. Dean had to excuse himself and practically run for the bathroom.

When they reached Sam though, the mood changed entirely. Dean put his phone away to concentrate on his little brother. Sam was numb, unable to respond much to anything they said. He had friends that had taken him in until Dean arrived, and after a polite meet and greet, they drove back to the California/Nevada border before they finally stopped for the night.

This time Dean got a suite so that Charlie could have her own space. It wasn’t fair to ask her to share a bed and Dean didn’t want to share one with his brother, so this way they all got their own beds. He was sitting on his bed powering up his laptop when Sam came out of the bathroom. He headed over to the bed near the window and crawled under the covers.

“You still dating that guy you met a few months back?” He asked.

“Yes I am.” Dean replied.

“What’s his name again? Carl?” 

“Castiel, but he goes by Cas. He was named after an angel, him and his brother both.” Dean had just loaded the Skype app when a call came through. He was surprise to see it was Jo and not Cas. He already had the headphones in place.

“Hey, what’s up?” He asked her.

“I just wanted to say thanks for the job. I know I don’t have the necessary licenses yet, but I’m in school to get them. Benny said you need a couple more people? I know two guys, Ash is a whiz at computers and can fix electrical problems in a car in seconds usually, and Garth is just good people. He’ll work like a dog and he’s good with cars. They both need work. Benny was saying you have this boyfriend and you want to go see him and spend time with him. Maybe move out there? Where does he live?” She brushed a lock of hair off her shoulder and looked up at him.

“Montana. He really wants me to come out there. To stay. I’m going out there first to see what it’s like. I want to see if it really would be good to open a shop out there.”

“Is he cute?” She asked.

“He’s gorgeous.” Dean pulled out his phone and showed her the first picture Cas had sent him.

“Wow, you weren’t kidding, he’s hot!” She gushed. Suddenly her entire demeanor changed. “Say, how’s Sam?” 

“He’s holding his own.” He replied.

 

“I’ll try calling him tomorrow, talk to him personally.” She said softly.

“Yeah, he needs family and friends supporting him right now.” 

“I’m right here, Dean. Who are you even talking to? Is that your boyfriend?” Sam sat up a little in the other bed and put down his phone which he had been typing on.

“Actually, no. It’s Jo.” Dean looked over at his brother. Sam had dark circles under his eyes and the haunted look on his face scared Dean. The fire had burned Sam’s face, leaving him looking like he had a bad case of sunburn, except in a few spots were the skin had blistered and then burst, but those were mostly along his forehead and one spot on his cheek. His lips looked chapped but Dean knew better. Sam gave a weak smile at the sound of their friend’s name.

“Tell her I said hi.”

Dean looked at the computer screen again. “Sam says hi.”

He talked to Jo for a few minutes before she had to go, she was starting at the garage in the morning and wanted a good night’s sleep. The call disconnected just as his phone chimed.

Cas: Tried to call on Skype but it said you were on a call. Don’t want to interrupt anything.

Dean smiled as he responded.

Dean: It was Jo, she was checking on Sam and letting me know she’s starting in the morning at the garage. Might also have 2 people to fill the extra positions. Things are looking up! Now call me!

A minute later Cas was calling him on Skype. 

“Hey handsome.” Cas was saying a moment later.

“Hey yourself.” Dean greeted his boyfriend with a warm smile.

“Now that has to be your boyfriend. Your smile it too dopey for it to be anyone else.” Sam said with a small smile.

“Yeah, it’s Cas.” Dean told him. Sam got up from his bed and walked over so that he could see the screen. Cas saw the man lumbering into his line of sight and he smiled. Dean pulled the headphones out so Sam could hear him.

“Hello Sam. It’s nice to meet you, Dean speaks of you often. I wish we were meeting under better circumstances though.” He said. Sam gave a small smile and nodded.

“Thank you. Dean talks about you too. It’s nice to meet you.”

Cas noted the burns on the young man’s face and the bandages on his hands. “How are you feeling? Are the burns bad?”

Sam shrugged. “I’ll be alright.”

“Cas here has a ranch. He raises bees.” Dean told his brother. Sam’s eyes lit up with interest. Dean knew his brother was a budding environmentalist. Sam sat down on the edge of the bed and Dean moved over to make room for him. As he watched his brother and boyfriend launched into a conversation about the benefits of bees, and various conservation efforts they believed would aid in their survival. Dean jumped into the conversation from time to time but mostly he let his brother talk Cas’ ear off. Cas seemed to be enjoying himself and it made Dean smile to see some life come back into Sam. 

“And you live out in Montana? That’s so cool. I want to see all the states someday. Maybe do some traveling when I graduate.” Suddenly Sam’s expression darkened and Dean knew he was thinking of Jess and how she would have been the one he did that traveling with.

“Hey, road trip, right? We can go together.” Dean squeezed his brother’s shoulder and Sam nodded weakly.

“I think I’m going to bed now, I’m tired.” Sam stood up and returned to his bed. Dean reconnected the headphones and talked to Cas for a little while longer. This time he asked if they could do what they usually did, leave the computers on as they fell asleep. Cas readily agreed, a big, toothy grin on his face as Dean asked.

Dean removed the headphones and dropped his voice down to a whisper as he laid down and pulled the covers up to his chest.

“I love you Cas, goodnight.” He said softly. Cas had turned on his side and was looking at him with so much love in his eyes it was almost painful. 

“I love you too Dean, sweet dreams.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The rest of the drive to Kansas was pretty uneventful. Dean drove straight through and was ready to collapse by the time he reached his mother’s house. He was heavily chastised by his mother and stepfather before being allowed to go up to his old room and collapse, which he happily did. He woke a few hours later to knocking on the door.

“Come in.” The words were muffled by his pillow but whoever was at the door heard him. The door opened and his mother walked in.

“Hi sweetie, how are you? Feeling better after your nap?” She sat down on the edge of the bed and ran her fingers through his hair.

“Yes. I’d have probably slept through the night if you hadn’t woken me.” He turned his head to the side to look up at her.

“I know, but that will throw off your sleep cycle. I saved some dinner for you. Come on down stairs.” She said. With a poorly stifled yawn and a nod he got up. His phone was blinking on the nightstand and as he followed his mother out of the room he checked his messages.

Cas: Did you reach KS ok? 

Cas: I wanted to tell you that there will be a surprise waiting for you when you get back to Chicago. Do not say no, you deserve it.

Dean smiled as he sat down at the kitchen table.

Dean: Drove straight through. Got chewed out by my mom and stepdad for it, but I just woke up from a much needed nap. Still exhausted though. What kind of surprise are we talking about? I know it’s not you wrapped up in a bow, waiting in my bed so what is it?

Cas responded faster than he expected.

Cas: That would negate the concept of a “surprise”. Patience, love. But you’ll like it.

Dean: Do I get a clue at least? I don’t do well with surprises.

Cas: It’s something to help you relax.

Cas: Get your mind out of the gutter.

Dean laughed out loud and his mother looked up from where she was putting food on a plate.

“Is that your boyfriend you’re talking to?” She asked.

“How…” He hadn’t told his mother about Cas yet.

“Your brother and Charlie both told me all about him. They both seem to like him. His name is Cas?”

Dean nodded. “Yeah. It’s short for Castiel. He’s a college professor, teaches botany and horticulture. He’s also a published author.” 

“An author you say?” She set the plate of food down in front of him.

“Yeah, books on plants. He’s written two of them.” He replied.

“Wait a second.” 

Before Dean could say anything his mother was rushing out of the room. She returned with a large book in her hand and set it down in front of him. 

“Is this him?” She asked as she sat down in the chair next to Dean. He flipped the book over and there was his gorgeous boyfriend’s face.

“Yep, that’s him.”

“Oh my God! He’s the leading expert in the country on bees! You’re dating him?!” She gasped.

“I didn’t know you liked bees that much, ma.” He joked.

“Frank and I were thinking of investing in a colony but Castiel says the neonicotinoids in the plants that people like to buy will kill them. So now we only buy plants without those. We’re doing our best to do right and stop unnecessary chemical usage.” She replied. She opened the book and turned to a chapter on neonicotinoids. Dean read the chapter. It was quite impressive, and very well written.

“Well, you’ll be glad to know that I’m bringing him home for Christmas.” He said when he finally looked up at her. She smiled wide and pulled him into a hug.

“Really? That’s wonderful!”

His stepfather walked in the room and sat down across from Dean.

“What’s the hullabaloo all about?” He asked.

“Look who Dean’s dating!” She closed the book and turned it so Frank could see it.

“Really? How did you two meet? You don’t exactly run in the same social circles I would imagine.” He didn’t mean it as an insult and Dean knew that.

“We met online actually. Quite by chance, but we really hit it off.” Dean replied.

“Is he gay or bi like you?” Frank pulled his glasses from his shirt pocket and put them on before turning the book over to look at Cas’ photo.

“He’s gay.” Dean said.

“He’s nice though? Treats you well?”

‘Yes, sir. I was telling mom that I’m bringing him home for Christmas.”

Frank set the book down and smiled at him. “Good, it’s about time you brought someone home. You two must be getting pretty serious.”

“We are. I think he wants me to move out there by him. I’m…thinking about it. He has a forty acre ranch, and there’s an auto shop out there, only one for a hundred miles. If I bought it, I’d have all the business in that entire area.”

“You don’t do anything you’re not ready for. Keep working on getting to know each other. Spend time together, make sure you are compatible before you decide to move.” His mother reached over and ran her fingers through his hair again. “Do you love each other?”

He smiled. Couldn’t help it. “Yeah. God mom, I’m crazy about the guy.”

“Good. I didn’t like the last girl you dated when you told me how she was and how she treated you, and I know she didn’t make you happy. I can see that this young man does though.”

Dean had that smile on his face as he ate, and he texted back and forth with Cas, telling him what his mother had said. Cas asked him if he would be getting on Skype that night. Dean debated. If he stayed in Lawrence, he could. If he got on the road he wouldn’t be getting home until long after Cas was in bed. If he stayed that would mean one more day he missed work. He was still debating it when he phone rang.

“Hello?” He answered it without even checking the caller id.

“Hi.” Cas greeted him.

“Hey, you never call, what’s up?” Dean got up and carried his empty plate to the sink. He washed it and set it in the dish rack.

“I wanted to hear your voice. I know you well enough that you’re going to try and make the drive back to Chicago tonight. I looked that up. That’s another eight hours on the road. I think you should rest and make the drive tomorrow.” Cas explained. Dean chuckled as he left to go back up to his room.

“I’m actually surprised my mom isn’t needling me to stay. I guess she’s happy Sammy’s here and she’s working on getting him to stay here and not come back to Chicago with me. I am really tired though. I’m almost afraid to work like this tomorrow if I do make that drive.” Dean admitted.

“So stay, spend the evening with your family and make the drive in the morning. It’s better for you if you get enough rest.” 

“And I can talk to you for a bit, if you have the time.” Dean stretched out on the bed and groaned. His entire body ached.

“Was that a good sound or a bad one?” Cas asked with a laugh.

“I ache, all over. I just spent like two days in a car, almost nonstop. My back keep spasming.” Dean rolled onto his back, grimacing at how hard the mattress was. It made him miss the memory foam one he had at home.

“Then you’re really going to like my surprise.” Cas told him.

“You’re killing me, babe. What kind of surprise is it?”

“Just check your mail when you get home. I sent you something.” 

“Ok, fine.” 

Dean kicked off his boots and unbuckled his belt.

“Dean, are you getting undressed?” Dean could hear the interest in his boyfriend’s voice.

“I made a last minute decision. I’m going to stay the night. Charlie’s not going to care one way or the other, most of her classes are online anyway. It’ll give my mom another few hours to convince Sam to stay here with her.” Dean unzipped his jeans and shimmied them down his hips until he could kick them off.

“So…you’re half way to naked right now.” Cas’ tone was heated, his voice flirty and it made Dean’s cock twitch, despite his exhaustion.

“I’d say more like a third of the way. I’m still wearing my socks and two shirts as well as my underwear.” Dean replied, his tone matching Cas’. 

“How fast can you divest yourself of your remaining clothes?” 

Dean let out a small whimper. Cas’ voice alone did things to him and the other man chuckled at the reaction he was getting.

“Cas, I’m not alone in the house. I have to be very quiet!” Dean scolded.

“Lock the door, gorgeous.” Cas purred in his ear and Dean found himself whimpering again.

“How the hell do you do this to me? Like I never had phone sex or did anything like this before I met you!” Dean hissed as he jumped up from the bed and went to make sure the hall was empty. He turned off his light and locked the door before returning to the bed.

“It’s late here so it has to be late there. Did you tell them you were going to bed?” Cas asked. From the other end of the phone Dean heard the sound of a zipper.

“N-no. I just came up to my room. I turned off the light though, so hopefully they get the hint. Charlie’s sleeping on the sofa bed, so I’m alone tonight.” Dean replied as he climbed back into bed. Cas moaned on the other end of the line and Dean almost fell flat on his face at the sound. He’d been trying to pull the blankets up to slip under them but it caught him so off guard he lost his balance. He yelped as he landed on his side, the covers absorbing most of the sound.

“Are you ok?” Cas asked.

“You’re killing me, Cas. You moaned and I fell over in the goddamn bed! Dean complained. Cas laughed. It was a beautiful sound that Dean wanted to hear more of.

“Do you want me to stop?” Cas’ voice was so seductive it had Dean instantly hard.

“God no! Please…” He begged.

“Please what? What do you want, sweetheart?” 

Dean shoved his underwear down with more force than he’d intended, but his cock was aching so bad, and he was desperate to find relief.

“Tell me what you want me to do.” He begged.

“Mmmm…so many things I want you to do. Let’s start with this. Strip completely down. No clothes.”

Dean was still wearing his shirts so he set the phone down long enough to tear them off before peeling his socks off. He snatched the phone back up. “Done!”

Cas bit down on his lip to keep from laughing. Dean’s eagerness to listen to his commands was a bigger turn on than he had anticipated, but it was also quite amusing. He was smart enough to realize that laughing now would totally kill the mood. 

“Where’s your lube?” He asked. Dean let out a whine.

“At home. I didn’t think to bring it.”

Cas had to think fast. He didn’t want Dean in pain. “What did you bring with you?” He could hear noises on Dean’s end. It sounded like he was opening and closing drawers.

“I knew it! That asshole!” Dean hissed under his breath.

“What?” 

“My cousins came to stay and Jeremy stayed in my room. He left a toiletry bag in my side drawer. More like he left it in the bathroom and my mom moved it in here. It has a huge bottle of cherry flavored lube. Jer’s a freak.” Dean laughed. 

“Well alright then, we’re back on track. I want you to pour some on your fingers Dean. But first put me on speakerphone. I won’t talk loudly so you will have to listen carefully. Do you understand?” Cas’ voice was commanding and Dean hurried to obey.

“Ok, you’re on speakerphone, and I poured way too much lube on my fingers.” 

Cas snorted and quickly cleared his throat to keep from laughing. “I want to hear you Dean. You don’t have to shout or scream, but I want to hear you moan. Work yourself open, slowly.” He ordered.

“-K…” Dean propped his legs up and slid a hand between them, rubbing lightly at the tight ring of muscles at his entrance. “Ohhh…” He sighed softly as he slid one finger in. “Feels good…”

“Close your eyes, Dean. I want you to imagine that’s me between your legs. Let me hear you.”

Dean moved up to two fingers, letting out a grunt at first and then a low moan as he worked up to two fingers. “I-I n-need to put t-the phone down, Cas…” 

“You can put the phone down but do not touch your cock. Do you understand? I want you to come untouched, sweetheart. I want you to come for me.” Cas instructed.

Dean spent some time working the two fingers in and out, scissoring them and stretching, loving the way it burned as his muscles slowly began to relax. He slid in a third finger, hooking them and brushing against his prostate. He gasped and let out a small sob as he struggled to be quiet.

“Not usually a quiet one, are you?” Cas asked breathlessly. 

“N-no, I like to m-make noise.” Dean panted, arching up off the bed as he brushed that bundle of nerves again. “F-fuck I’m close!”

“So am I Dean. God the things you do to me even when I can’t see you. I can’t wait to have you here in my bed. I might never let you go, you realize that, right?” Cas moaned again and the sound shot straight to Dean’s cock. With a soft cry he came, splattering his chest and belly. 

“Damn that felt good.” Dean sighed in contentment. A soft cry on the other end of the line told him Cas had just come as well. 

After a quick clean up Dean started up his computer. He had to see Cas’ face, wanted to sleep next him, even if it was just over Skype. Cas answered quickly.

“I like when you do that.” Dean was lying naked on his stomach and Cas could only see the outline of his body. Still, it drew his eye and he couldn’t look away.

“When I take control?” He asked.

“That too, but I like it when you call me sweetheart.” Dean looked up at him through long lashes, his eyes heavy with sleep.

“I’ll remember to say it more often then.” Cas said, smiling. He was still naked and Dean loved looking at his naked body, it was so beautiful. It only took a few minutes before Dean had drifted off, the soft sounds of his snores filtering across the connection. Cas loved the sound. More than ever he wished Dean was right there in his bed with him. December was so far away. He moved the computer and slipped under the covers. Just as he laid his head down his phone chimed with a text.

“What the hell?” He muttered, reaching for his phone.

(630) 555-1492: I doubt you want to talk to me, but I thought I’d take a chance. I’m sorry, I know it’s late but I was thinking about you. I got a new phone, this is my new number. Text me? I just want to talk. D~

Cas frowned down at the phone. There was only one person he knew that would dare to contact him after all this time and want to talk. He debated on whether or not to respond. He finally shot back a quick answer.

Cas: Not interested. You walking out was the best thing that could have happened to me. I’m in a much better place and I’m very happy. You need to move on and forget my name. 

Immediately his phone chimed again. He glanced over at the computer, hoping the sound didn’t wake Dean. 

(630) 555-1492: You’re saying you don’t miss me? Even a little? Come on Cas, I gave you two years of my life and this is how you treat me? I love you. I just want to talk.

Cas: Let me make myself as clear as possible. I do not love you. I stopped loving you probably a year into our relationship, and that was your fault. You were cold, distant, and spent most of your time doing everything you could to avoid me, and then when I told you I was ready to fulfill my lifelong dream of owning my own ranch, you insulted me. And I’m supposed to just what, welcome you back with open arms? It’s NOT HAPPENING. I’m in a relationship, I’m happier than I’ve ever been, and there is absolutely no room in my life for you. I wish you luck, but do not include me in those plans. Goodbye, Dick.

This time the phone did not chime again. He set it on the nightstand and turned to face the computer. Lightly he touched the screen, wishing he could actually touch Dean. December couldn’t come fast enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter. 
> 
> Don't rush it, Dean will get to Montana. ;)
> 
> Leave a comment, you know I love them.


	8. Montana Bound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean finally makes his way to Montana.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know how badly you've all been witing for this chapter. It's here! 
> 
>  
> 
> You're welcome. ;)

Sam opted to stay in Kansas while Dean and Charlie headed home. Dean checked his mail when he got home, like he had promised Cas he would do, and to his delight he found a gift certificate for a full-body massage. It was put to use the same day, and he was glad because after that he immediately fell back into his routine at work, though Jo brought each of the guys that she had been talking about to see him. He liked them both. Garth was friendly and smart, eager to learn what he didn’t already know, though he did know quite a bit. He still made him fill out an application, just so he had it for his records and so he could see what experience the man had. He decided to give him a chance, sending him to Benny for a trial period. When Jo brought Ash in, Dean had to admit it took him by surprise. He wasn’t the type of guy that Jo usually hung around with, but he was mellow and clearly quite intelligent. He did the same as he’d done with Garth, making him fill out an application, and to his surprise he learned the guy had been booted from MIT of all places. He sent him to Rufus for his trial period since Rufus usually handled electrical problems. Now that the garage was fully staffed in time for the busy season, he could take a step back and breathe. He took the opportunity to work on the behind the scenes things he had been neglecting, such as inventory, shop repairs, and record keeping. 

Cas had texted him the next morning telling him about the stunt his ex had pulled, and how he had chewed the guy out. Dean had felt a thrill knowing Cas had not only chosen him over someone more familiar, he had been open and honest about it. Lisa ended up coming by the shop at the end of September when he wouldn’t return her texts, and he ended up sending her away crying. That hadn’t been his intention, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. He immediately texted Cas and told him what had happened. They both valued honesty, and that made Dean glad.

September turned to October and Sam drove up for the Halloween party Charlie and Dean were planning to throw. Dean invited Cas but there was a faculty party he had to attend, and he swore Cas was about to cry when he said he couldn’t come. Dean promised him it was ok, they were still getting together in December and they would have two full weeks together. What Dean wasn’t telling Cas was that he was already setting everything up with Bobby to have Benny take over, possibly permanently if Dean decided to stay in Montana. Bobby tasked him with finding a decent location out there to open a second shop, and Dean readily agreed.

October turned to November and they continued to text and Skype every night. The closer December got, the more nervous Dean became. He could sense that Cas was nervous too, though neither of them really talked about it. November became December and soon it was time to leave. The night before Dean was going to drive to Montana, he was pacing in his room. Charlie found him and dragged him over to the bed, forcing him to sit down.

“I know what’s going through that big head of yours, Winchester. All the ‘what ifs’. What if he doesn’t like me? What if in person he thinks I’m ugly? What if I offend him? What if in person he doesn’t think I’m really that smart? What if he thinks I’m just some country hick pretending to be a big city boy? I get it. But what if he finds you even more beautiful in person? What if he looks into your eyes and realizes there is no going back, that he’s totally and completely head over heels in love with you? What if you realize that too? What if he finds you even sexier in person? And what if he asks you to move in? What if he wants to take things to the next level? What if he wants to marry you? What if he wants kids? There are so many what ifs Dean that it’s impossible to know the answer to them all. So I’ll present one single question to you.” She looked him straight in the eye and he nodded.

“What if you just follow your heart for once? Let your head follow after. You already know you love him, and he sure as hell loves you. So, what if you just follow your heart?”

He swallowed down the lump in his throat and nodded. “Yeah, ok.”

“So finish packing, and don’t forget that he told you to bring a suit. Surprise him, bring your Armani. He won’t see that coming, and you look damn hot in it.” She stood up but before she left she placed a kiss on his forehead.

“Just let me know if I need to start looking for roommates. I suspect I will, but my side job fixing computers is pretty lucrative, so I won’t be hurting too bad. I would still like a heads up though.” With that she left. 

Early the next morning, Dean hit the road. Traffic was decent, which surprised him, but his nerves were frayed. He had no intentions of stopping until he was pulling up in front of Cas’ house, hence the reason he left at three in the morning. He hoped to reach Cas’ ranch by noon the following morning. Halfway through North Dakota he stopped for gas and a bite to eat, and found he had six texts waiting.

Cas: I can’t believe you’re going to be here this time tomorrow. Excitement doesn’t even begin to cover how I feel! Drive safe!

Cas: I think for your first night here you deserve a good night’s rest, so rather than drag you out to dinner I will cook for you. No buts. You will sleep for a few hours, and I will show you how good I am in the kitchen.

Cas: Unless you want take out? I’d much prefer to cook for you though.

Cas: I vetoed garlic chicken, I’ll be burping it up for the next two nights. How does steak sound? And I’m making you a pie. 

Cas: I really hope you’re stopping to stretch your legs and not racing to get here. I’ll still be here when you arrive. Of course I have to kick my brother out. I told him he has to call ahead if he wants to stop by while you’re here. He likes to just walk in like he owns the place. 

Cas: How much farther do you have? I can’t sleep thinking about you.

Dean smiled a little wider with each text he read. He did indeed stretch before typing back.

Dean: Hey gorgeous, I’m almost there. I’m in Nebraska. Wow, talk about a whole lot of nothing. And I thought Illinois and Kansas were dull to drive through. Weather’s good, I have good music and thoughts of your naked body to spur me on. I will be there in just a few hours. Your dinner plans sound good as long as I can take a nap. And hell yes to pie! I love you, I’ll see you soon.

Dean stuffed the phone back in his pocket and got back on the road. By tomorrow afternoon he’d have the man he loved in his arms. Nerves aside, he wanted that more than anything in the world. 

He was damn close to falling asleep behind the wheel when he finally found his way to Cas’ property. The ranch was huge and covered in several feet of snow, except for the long drive that led up to a beautiful, brick, two-story house. Of all the pics Cas had sent, a full exterior picture of the house was not among them, and it took his breath away. With a nervous exhalation he turned the Impala onto the drive and made his way up to the house.

The front door opened as Dean parked and a familiar head of messy dark hair was hurrying down the steps and over to the car. As soon as he stepped out of the vehicle he had his arms filled with a toasty warm boyfriend.

“Ha ha, excited to see me?” Dean asked when Cas finally pulled back to look at him.

“Yes! Of course I am!” His voice was even more amazing in person. Dean wasn’t that much taller than him but he did have to look up a bit. He liked that. “God you’re so gorgeous!” He blushed as the words escaped his lips, but Dean just laughed and pulled him back into his arms.

“I was thinking the same thing about you. Now help me get my bags before I freeze to death. This is only December and it’s this cold already?” Dean shut the driver’s side door and headed for the trunk. Cas followed, pulling his sweater tighter around himself.

“It’s winter in Montana. It’s only going to get colder, and snow more. We are in the mountains,” Cas reminded him. He admired the car, remembering all the things Dean had told him about it as they pulled bags from the trunk. Cas led him into the house where his boyfriend sighed at the warmth. It was freezing outside but in here it was quite comfortable. Dean looked up, his jaw slightly dropped as he took in the vaulted ceilings, the fireplace, which had a blazing fire, the fifty-inch television screen mounted above the mantle, and the soft leather furniture.

“I’m sure you’re exhausted. Follow me.” Cas started for the stairs and Dean followed. Cas talked the entire way to the second floor.

“I’m sorry if I seem awkward. I’m not usually like this, it’s just nerves. I wasn’t sure what you would want to do, and I didn’t want you to think we have to share a bed or anything so I made up a spare bedroom-”

“Cas,” Dean interrupted. The man turned to look at him with wide blue eyes.

“I want to share your bed, that is, if that’s what you want.”

Cas smiled wide, every tooth in his mouth showing. “Hell yes that’s what I want. My room is this way.” He opened a door on the right and reached in, flipping the lights on. As Dean stepped into the room he gave a low whistle. More vaulted ceilings that he hadn’t really noticed when Skyping, and rich mahogany furniture, including an actual canopy bed.

“This is incredible, babe. I like your taste.”

Cas beamed at the compliment and set down the bags he was holding before taking the ones Dean held and setting them all down in front of the closet. When he looked back he could see the dark circles under Dean’s eyes. 

“Come here, sweetheart,” he said softly, pulling Dean closer. With slow, gentle hands he helped his boyfriend out of his heavy leather jacket and the flannel he wore underneath it. Dean took off his boots and stood in front of Cas in his tee shirt and jeans. “Take those off, get comfortable. I’ll turn down the bed for you.”

As Dean removed his jeans and socks, Cas pulled the covers back and fluffed the pillows. When Dean slid into the bed he groaned with delight. It was a memory foam mattress, just like the one he had at home, just softer. Cas pulled the blankets over him and leaned down to kiss his forehead.

“Sleep, I’ll come get you when dinner’s ready, ok?” Dean nodded, his eyes already struggling to stay open. Cas pulled the curtains and turned off the light as he left the room. Downstairs he sat down on the sofa, resuming his glass of wine and the book he’d been reading. He didn’t need to start dinner for another couple of hours. It warmed his heart knowing Dean was finally here. This was the best day of his life.

 

When Dean woke several hours later he felt refreshed but still tired. Even with the curtains drawn he knew it was already dark out. With a long, delicious stretch he allowed his eyes to adjust to the dark room. The first thing he noticed was the smell. It smelled good, like cedar and crisp, clean linen. As good as the bed felt though he was eager to find Cas and take the man in his arms. They hadn’t shared much more than a hug so far, and he wanted a proper kiss. Tossing the covers back, he got out of the nice, warm bed. He found the light switch on the wall, flipping it and flooding the room in warm light. The bedroom had a private bath and he headed straight for it to relieve himself. When he was finished he put his pants back on but decided to forgo the socks and boots. As soon as he opened the door he was assaulted with a variety of smells that all had his stomach rumbling. He made his way down to the first floor, using his memory of Cas’ Skype tour to make his way to the kitchen. What he did not expect was to find another man in the kitchen with Cas.

“Oh, you’re awake!” Cas exclaimed happily. 

“Yeah, thanks for that. It was hell driving straight but I saw that there were storms coming and I was trying to get ahead of them. Plus I didn’t want to waste any time.” Dean said, smiling.

“It’s nice to meet you, Dean. I’m Cas’ brother Gabe.” The shorter man stood up from where he’d been sitting at the island sipping a glass of wine. He offered his hand and Dean shook it.

“Nice to finally meet you, too. You never came close enough to the camera so I could actually see you. It’s good to finally be able to put a face to the name and voice,” he said. Gabe smirked.

“You were better off with just the voice. Cassie here got the looks in the family. I got the short end of the stick.”

“Oh shut up.” Cas grinned and rolled his eyes.

“I was just leaving. I only stopped by to tell my dear baby brother that his attendance at the faculty holiday party this Friday is mandatory. He’s welcome to bring a date. Do you have something to wear?” Gabe asked Dean.

“Actually, yes, I do.” Dean was glad Charlie had suggested he bring the Armani along.

“Good, we’ll see you there.” Gabe winked before giving his brother a quick hug. “I’ll see you Friday, little brother,” he said before letting himself out.

“Your party is mandatory?” Dean asked once they were alone.

“Not really. Gabe just feels that if he has to be there, so do I. He only stopped by because he was dying to meet you. I’ll get a series of texts later about how hot you are and how jealous he is,” Cas said with a laugh. Dean chuckled.

“So, I think we forgot something when I got here,” he said. Cas’ brow furrowed as he tried to think of what they had forgotten.

“We did?”

Dean reached out, placing his hands on Cas’ hips and pulling him closer. “Yeah, we did.” They were mere inches from each other, their breath ghosting across one another’s lips as he leaned in and gently kissed the other man. Cas’ arms came up, snaking around his waist and pulling him even closer.

“I apologize. Next time I’ll be sure to give you a proper greeting,” Cas murmured against Dean’s lips.

“You better,” Dean teased.

They spent several minutes just lazily kissing, learning the taste and feel of one another’s mouths.

“Are you hungry?” Cas asked when they finally broke the kiss.

“Starving,” Dean admitted.

“Help me set the table?” 

“Anything for you, angel,” Dean replied. Cas blushed at the nickname that Dean had recently taken to calling him. He found he rather liked being called that.

Cas pointed out which cabinets contained the plates and which drawer had the silverware. Between them both they got the table set and all of the food onto it. Cas had gone all out on this meal. Dean was impressed.

“Do you drink wine? Or would you prefer a beer? I have both,” Cas asked. Dean could see that he had a small wine fridge on the counter.

“If you’re drinking wine, I’m ok with that.”

Cas smiled brightly and took down a second wine glass. He filled it and set it down at Dean’s plate. They sat down to eat and Dean was aware of Cas’ eyes on him as he took his first bite.

“Wow, this is amazing,” Dean said after swallowing his first bite of steak. He scooped up a forkful of the strange looking side dish, eyeing it before bringing it to his mouth.

“That’s the quinoa we talked about,” Cas explained. It was a flavor explosion on Dean’s tongue.

“I love this!” He exclaimed. Cas relaxed, grinning as he started in on his own food.

“I’m glad you like it.”

“I hope you’ll let me cook for you in return,” Dean said, placing a hand on Cas’ thigh. The simple gesture sent an electric shock through the man.

“Oh, yes, of course.”

They finished their dinner, and Cas preened at all of Dean’s compliments over his cooking. Dean had to admit, the man knew his way around a kitchen, and he didn’t think he’d have too many problems sharing the space with this man. Besides, it might be nice having someone cook for him for once. With the dishwasher loaded and their wine glasses refilled, they moved into the living room where they sat and talked. 

Dean was having a hard time keeping his hands off Cas. For so long he had dreamt of what the man would feel like in his hands, what he would taste like, smell like, and the fingers not currently wrapped around a wine glass were twitching with the desire to just grab Cas and drag him closer. For his part, Cas wasn’t faring much better. He was dying to get Dean into his bed so he could spend the rest of the night discovering how many different ways he could make the man come. With the wine glasses empty and Cas sufficiently buzzed, he carried them to the kitchen, deciding to just leave them in the sink for now. He had left Dean waiting on the couch but when he turned around he found the man had followed him and was now crowding him up against the counter as his hands grabbed Cas’ hips and pulled him closer.

“I want you so bad, Cas. You gonna keep making me wait? Now who’s the tease?” Dean purred in his ear. Cas let a breathy sigh escape his lips as he shook his head.

“I wasn’t teasing you, I promise. I was waiting, letting you take the lead. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. Had it been up to me I’d have been all over you the moment you walked through the door,” Cas admitted. Dean smiled, leaning in to press tender kisses to the curve of his boyfriend’s jaw, his throat, then up to his lips. Cas moaned into the kiss as he threaded his fingers through Dean’s hair and pulled him deeper into it. When they finally broke apart they were both gasping for air. Cas grabbed him by the hand.

“Bedroom?” he asked, biting down nervously on his lower lip. Dean nodded, his green eyes dark with need.

“Yes.”

As they climbed the stairs to the second floor Cas undid the buttons on his sweater. It was just more layers between himself and Dean, and he wanted to be naked as quickly as possible. When they reached the room he was barely able to turn the lights on before Dean had him backed up against the wall, hands wandering all over his body as Dean touched everything he’d been dreaming for months about having under his fingertips.

“Bed, now,” Cas ordered. The look of pure lust in Dean’s eyes was very nearly his undoing, but the man listened, turning and hurrying over, his fingers quickly undoing his belt and the zipper on his jeans as he went. He let his pants drop to the floor as he climbed into the bed on all fours, his back still to Cas. He looked over his shoulder, his expression seductive and enough to launch Cas into motion. In three long strides he was at the side of the bed, shrugging his sweater off and dropping it to the floor before starting on the buttons on his shirt. He was kicking himself for not opting to put on a tee shirt today, but the smoldering look of raw desire in Dean’s eyes as he watched made him think that maybe the anticipation was worth it. When his shirt fell open a whimper escaped Dean’s lips and Cas smiled wickedly.

“You like taking orders in the bedroom, Dean?” he asked. Dean’s eyes lifted from where they’d been staring at his bare chest to meet his deep blue gaze. 

“Only with you, Cas.” 

“Turn around. I want you to take off my pants.”

Dean quickly turned around and sat back on his heels to untuck Cas’ shirt from the pants and work the belt loose. His fingers were nimble as he undid the button and lowered the zipper. He pushed them down, and Cas stepped out of them. He had ditched his socks and shoes in favor of soft slippers while Dean had been napping and he kicked them off along with the pants. The shirt had slid off one shoulder and Dean looked at it before his eyes met Cas’ again. Cas nodded and Dean brought his hands up to push it off. It joined the rest of the clothes on the floor. He pulled Dean’s tee shirt over his head, dropping it to the floor before splaying his fingers over the warm skin of his chest.

“God I wanted to touch you so bad earlier. You’re so incredibly beautiful, Dean. Talking over Skype was wonderful but this…” His eyes roved hungrily over his boyfriend’s body as his brain raced in a million different directions.

“I was afraid you wouldn’t like me if you met me in person,” Dean said quietly, his eyes lowered to the mattress beneath him. Cas grasped his chin gently and lifted it until their eyes met.

“That was never going to happen. I’ve had months to learn about you, Dean, and though I don’t claim to know everything about you, I want to. What I have learned thus far, I love. Your sense of humor, your heart, your intelligence, just…everything. You’re so beautiful, inside and out. And to think, I met you by chance.” Cas chuckled softly at that. “Or maybe God decided to finally answer one of my prayers.”

Dean wrapped his arms around Cas and pulled him into the bed. He let the older man press him back into the soft foam bed, Cas’ weight a steady and welcome pressure over his own prone form. 

“There’s so much I want to do to you, sweetheart, to do with you, but I’m so overwhelmed right now I don’t even know where to start. I wanted this for so long, and now that it’s here I can’t settle on any one thing, so I’ll put it in your hands. What do you want?” Cas asked. He planted his hands on either side of Dean’s head and locked his elbows. His blue eyes were full of want and Dean found that he was still amazed that this man wanted him this much.

“I want you inside me, but I want it to be slow, like we have all the time in the world. I want our first time to be amazing. I want you so bad, and I know you want me, and it could be done hard and fast, but that’s not what I want.” Dean brought a hand up to caress Cas’ cheek and the man leaned into the touch.

“We do have all the time in the world, sweetheart.” 

Dean moaned, his eyelids fluttering at the term of endearment. 

“You really like it when I call you that, don’t you?” Cas asked, genuinely interested in the answer.

“I do. I use terms of endearment with people I care about, but I save special ones for the people I love the most, but…everyone just calls me Dean. Except Benny, he calls me brother. But he calls everyone that. I like being called something nice like sweetheart, or baby, or…anything that isn’t just my name. It makes me feel loved and wanted.” Dean blushed and looked away nervously. He still couldn’t figure out how this man was able to coax more than simple answers from him all the damn time.

“Would it offend you then if I called you darling? I don’t personally care for myself being called it, but I like to use it. Or…I would like to use it. I’ve never actually called anyone that before,” Cas asked.

“Yeah, I would like that.” Dean nodded eagerly. Cas smiled and leaned down to kiss and suck at the tender skin just behind Dean’s ear, causing the man to moan quite loudly.

“Have you ever gone bare?” Cas sat back and asked suddenly. Dean shook his head.

“No, too much crap out there. I’m clean but not everyone else is. I know we talked about getting tested, and I went. I’m clean as a whistle, just like I said I was. I brought the paperwork with, in case you wanted to see it.” 

“I went shortly after…,” Cas blushed and grinned. “Our first Skype call and it was clean, but I went again last month just to make double sure. I’m clean as well. I was hoping we could forgo condoms. I’ve never gone bare before, but I want to with you.”

Dean reached both hands up to cup Cas’ face. “I want that too. I want to feel you Cas, every inch of you.”

Cas groaned hearing that. “Good, cause I don’t want to talk anymore, I just want to touch, to taste, to feel you, Dean.” Dean didn’t bother saying anything in response. He wanted the same thing and figured actions spoke louder than words, so he pulled Cas back down into a heated kiss, nipping and sucking at the man’s lower lip, dragging moan after moan from his beautiful mouth.

Cas’ tongue dove into Dean’s mouth, sliding over his own and deepening the kiss as his hips rolled downward.

“F-fuck…” Dean moaned, throwing his head back as ripples of pleasure coursed through him. Cas’ mouth moved to his jaw and then his neck as he kissed and sucked at every inch of skin he could reach. He marveled over the dusting of freckles that spilled down Dean’s chest and belly, running his fingers over them and delighting in the way the skin trembled with anticipation under his touch. He had been waiting months for this moment, and he didn’t want to rush it. 

Dean loved the way Cas was using his mouth. It was as though he were worshiping his flesh, setting every nerve ending on fire as he worked his way lower down Dean’s belly. When Cas stopped to dip his tongue into his belly button, Dean’s entire body shuddered. His fingers wound their way into Cas’ hair as his lover worked his boxers off, tossing them to the floor. This right here was the moment Cas had been waiting months for, and it was perfect. Dean was perfect. Ignoring Dean’s leaking cock he pushed the man’s legs apart so that he could press kisses to the soft skin of his thighs as he continued his mission of worshiping his boyfriend’s body.

“Feels so good,” Dean moaned as Cas licked a stripe up the inside of one thigh, from knee to groin, and then repeated the motion again on the other leg. When he looked up, Dean’s head was thrown back in pleasure, his eyes closed and his mouth partially open. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, but he wanted those green eyes on him, watching him. He wanted to see the moment Dean came apart under his touch. He slid his way back up, licking and sucking at Dean’s nipples, causing him to cry out. Hovering over Dean, he waited for him to open his eyes. When they did he could see they were full of need.

“Why’d you stop?” Dean pouted. Cas leaned in to nip at the lower lip that jutted out, which just made Dean moan again.

“Not stopping. I just want your eyes on me. Can you do that, Dean? I want to see the moment you come apart.” His voice was lower than usual, and he felt it when Dean shuddered at the sound of it.

“Yeah, eyes open,” Dean panted and nodded eagerly. As Cas returned to his spot between Dean’s legs he looked up again, a thrill going through him when his eyes met Dean’s. He could see just how turned on his boyfriend was, and it had him so hard it was actually almost painful. He gently pushed Dean’s legs farther apart so that he could reach the tight ring of muscles tucked away there. It delighted him even further as he pressed his tongue against it, making the other man hiss and his eyes widen.

“Never had this done before?” he asked. Dean shook his head.

“N-no, but I want it, please, I want it so bad, Cas!” he begged. Cas decided he liked the sound of Dean begging and pleading. He reached over to the nightstand and opened the drawer to pull out the bottle of lube he had bought in anticipation of this moment. He’d bought other things, too, but he wanted to ease into that. Right now he just wanted Dean. 

For several minutes he worked his tongue over that sensitive bundle of nerves, diving in to taste him, listening to Dean’s breathing picking up as his body began to tremble even more, relishing every whimper, every moan that escaped the man’s lips. As requested, his eyes never left Cas’. After several minutes of teasing and tasting, Cas sat back on his heels. He stripped out of his own boxers, trembling with his own excitement and anticipation.

He broke the seal on the bottle, tossing the plastic aside and popping the lid. The liquid was cold as he poured it over his fingers but he rubbed them together until he knew he wouldn’t shock Dean with his touch. Slowly he rubbed one finger over the rim, listening carefully for any sounds of distress that Dean might make. Upon hearing nothing but groans of pleasure, he pressed in, sliding the digit in slowly and waiting for Dean to adjust. That didn’t take long and soon Cas was adding a second finger. Dean’s thighs were shaking with the effort of keeping his legs apart and he cried out when Cas added his tongue into the mix, pushing in alongside his fingers as he continued to work the man open. Dean’s eyes stayed locked on his the entire time, which was an incredible turn on. When he had Dean up to four fingers, begging for his cock as he tried to press down on the fingers inside of him, Cas took mercy on him and pulled his fingers out. Dean let out a noise that sounded eerily similar to a choked sob at the loss of contact. Cas sat back and grabbed the bottle of lube. He poured a generous amount on his hand and began to stroke himself, making sure his leaking cock was thoroughly coated so as not to hurt Dean. When he was sure he was ready he placed a hand on each of Dean’s hips.

“Darling, I want you to roll over. Grab that pillow there and put it under your stomach,” Cas instructed. Dean hesitated only a moment before doing as instructed. The sight of his ass in the air drew a growl from Cas that he couldn’t have contained even if he’d tried. His hands were back on Dean’s hips, pulling the man back as he moving forward, the tip of his dick moving past that ring of muscle and easily sliding in. He moved a little at a time, pausing any time he heard a less than appreciative noise coming from Dean until he had completely bottomed out. 

“You feel so good, baby.” He moaned as he slowly began to rock his hips. He leaned over Dean, placing tender kissed along his back and shoulders as he began to increase the speed of his thrusts. There was no need to race to the finish line, neither of them were in any kind of hurry. The noises Dean made beneath him were incredible, and so much more vivid than what he’d heard coming across his computer speakers and he wanted to coax as many as possible out of his boyfriend’s mouth as he possibly could in the next few minutes. He could feel the heat beginning to build low in his belly that told him he was getting close. 

“Cas, baby, it feels amazing, but now I want you to really give it to me. Please.” Dean pushed back against him, and Cas grabbed his hips, giving the man exactly what he wanted. He pumped his hips fast and hard until all that could be heard was the slapping of skin on skin and the downright sinful noises spilling from Dean’s lips. 

It was the most intense experience of Cas’ life not having the barrier of a condom between him and his lover, and he was reveling in the intensity of everything he was feeling. The way Dean was panting and moaning told him it was the same for him.

“Cas, so close…please, touch me…” Dean begged. So far Cas’ hands had been locked on Dean’s hips as he pounded into him but he moved his right hand down, sliding it under Dean to grab his leaking cock. He spread the pre-come around before he began to stroke, keeping pace with his own thrusts. It didn’t take long to send Dean soaring over the edge into bliss and the man was coming hard all over the pillow and sheets underneath him. He slowed his hand until he had worked Dean completely through his orgasm, and then he concentrated on chasing his own. 

It was only another few thrusts before Cas was shouting as his own climax tore through him. When he finally collapsed on top of Dean he was panting so hard he was seeing stars.

“Damn I knew it would be amazing with you.” Dean was still panting but he was catching his breath much quicker. Cas chuckled and rolled off Dean, pulling out carefully as he did. 

“That was better than amazing Dean. I’ve never experienced anything like that before. Come here,” Cas waited for Dean to turn onto his side so that they were facing one another.

“Cas, I’m gross,” Dean complained, grimacing at the sticky mess on his stomach and chest.

“We’ll take care of that in a minute. I just want to hold you.” Cas opened his arms and Dean moved closer, pressing their bodies together and throwing one leg up and over Cas’ hip. 

“Did you really think I wouldn’t like you?” Cas asked softly. His blue eyes were searching Dean’s green ones for any sign that this was true.

“I’m nothing special, Cas. You’re like, this amazing professor, you have this big house, an actual ranch, you’ve written books and I’m…a mechanic. I grew up in Kansas, damn close to poor, and I’ve had to fight for everything I’ve ever had. I don’t feel like I deserve you.” Dean was being honest, and that broke Cas’ heart.

“We’ve been over this before Dean, and I am not nearly as amazing as you seem to think I am. The only reason I have this house is because I wrote a book on bees and it did well. That doesn’t make me special, it just means I have a way with words. My upbringing was hard, just as yours was, and I too fought for everything I have. The way I see it, we’re on equal ground, Dean, and that is something that I love about you. You don’t see yourself as above me, but I sure as hell don’t see you as beneath me. Have I made myself clear?” He stroked Dean’s cheek gently as he spoke and Dean pressed into his touch, listening intently to every single word.

“Yes, perfectly clear.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It gets fluffier from here. Leave a comment, let me know what you think.


	9. Stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas wants badly for Dean to stay, and he is excited to learn that Dean wants that too. Dean has a plan for making that happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff, fluff and more fluff. They boys are getting to know each other, and it's sweet. You'll enjoy the chapter.

They laid there until the semen cooling on Dean’s belly was making him feel gross.

“I need a shower. Can I?” he asked.

“Sweetheart, you can do anything you want. I need one too though. Care for some company?” Cas smiled and watched as Dean broke out in a huge grin.

“With you? Definitely. Come on.” He got up from the bed, pulling Cas up with him. As they walked into the bathroom Cas reached out to touch his shoulder.

“I never noticed this when we were conferencing. I didn’t know you had a tattoo.” He traced his fingers along the edges of the symbol on Dean’s back.

“Oh, yeah. I forget it’s there sometimes. My brother and I have matching ones. Went and got them as soon as he turned eighteen. It’s just something that sort of connects us.” Dean reached into the shower to turn the water on before turning to face Cas.

“What does it mean?” Cas asked.

“It’s a protection symbol. Basically it signifies that I’ll always have his back and he’ll always have mine. I protected him from our dad’s wrath growing up, and he’s a pretty awesome kid,” Dean explained. Cas smiled and nodded.

“I like the idea of that. I have one on my hip.” He turned so Dean could see the black angel wings that rested on his left hip. It was a small tattoo, easily overlooked. Somehow it made this beautiful man that he had been spending months putting up high on a pedestal much more down to earth.

“You never mentioned this. Is it for your name?” Dean asked. Cas smiled and looked down at the floor, suddenly shy.

“My brother dragged me to a frat party my senior year of college and I got wasted. For the record, that is something I have not done since, the hangover was the most miserable experience of my life. Anyway, I got drunk and my brother suggested we get tattoos. He got a damn smiley face on his ass, and I got the wings. I think I got the better end of the deal at least.” 

“Well, I like it, it suits you.” Dean pulled him under the spray of water and kissed him. Holding Cas close felt natural. It felt…right.

 

After their shower Cas led Dean back to the bedroom, where they did a quick sheet change and Dean took the time to hang up his suit so it wouldn’t be wrinkled. When they slipped between the sheets Cas pulled him close, curling his body around the other man and burying his nose against the space where his neck met his shoulder. Holding Dean in his arms was what he had been dreaming about for months now, but now that he had him here he didn’t want to ever let him go. 

It didn’t take Dean long to fall asleep. His snores were soft but soothing, and after months of falling asleep together on Skype Cas was more than familiar with the sound. Still, Cas found it difficult to fall asleep. His mind was abuzz with thoughts of what his life would be like when their two weeks together was over and Dean left again. He wasn’t sure how to broach the subject, or how Dean would react if he asked him to stay. He pulled Dean closer, needing to feel how solid the man was in his arms, and if he closed his eyes and a few tears slipped down his cheeks, no one but him would ever know.

Dean woke the following morning to the smell of bacon permeating the air. The bedroom door was wide open, most likely on purpose so that the smell would carry up to the second floor and pull him from the deep sleep he’d been enjoying. He stretched, loving the way his body ached in all the right places. Last night had been, hands down, the best sex of Dean’s life and he was thrilled that everything he could have possibly ever wanted in a lover, he had in Cas. The man was gorgeous, gentle, kind, and the phenomenal sex was just the icing on an otherwise perfect cake.

As he lay there he made a decision that he would welcome Cas fully into his life. No more feeling sorry for himself, and no more worrying that he wasn’t good enough. Cas thought he was good enough, and that was what really mattered. 

“Dean? Are you up yet?” Cas called up the stairs. It was said just loud enough that if he were still asleep it wouldn’t wake him.

“Yeah, babe, I’m going to use the bathroom and throw on some clothes. I’ll be down in a few,” he called back.

“Clothing is optional,” Cas said playfully. Dean smiled and shook his head as he got out of the bed. He made his pit stop in the bathroom before seeking out clean underwear and a pair of the pajama pants he had brought with. He hadn’t been sure how warm the house would be so he’d brought enough flannel for an army, including the pajamas which were also flannel. Deciding the house was warm enough to forgo a shirt, he padded barefoot downstairs.

Cas was stacking pancakes on a plate, and he smiled when Dean walked in.

“Sleep well?” he asked.

“Best sleep I’ve had in years actually. I’m not usually much for cuddling, but I like it with you,” Dean said. Cas smiled wider and held out the plate of pancakes.

“Help me get the food on the table?” 

Cas had made pancakes, bacon, homemade hash browns and toast, and it was making Dean’s stomach rumble. He told Dean to explore the kitchen and find whatever he wanted to add to their breakfast, and watched with interest as Dean headed for the fridge. He pulled butter and jelly out for the toast as well as orange juice before locating the maple syrup in the cabinet above the fridge.

“I’ve never had real maple syrup,” he admitted as he carried things over to the table. Cas was busy buttering the toast but he looked up in surprise.

“Never?” Dean shook his head.

“No, my mom always bought the fake stuff, which I guess now I’m just used to. Is this good?” He eyed the small bottle before looking at Cas.

“It’s wonderful but if you don’t like it I’ll go to the store later and buy you whatever you want,” Cas told him.

“I can make other kinds of syrups,” Dean said as he poured some over his pancakes.

“Oh really?” Cas was interested in what Dean was able to do in the kitchen and hoped he would elaborate. 

“Yep. When I was a kid my folks took my brother and me to this diner where my dad told us we could get anything we wanted. I was starting to explore in the kitchen at that time and I saw something on the menu called blueberry compote. My mother tried to explain it to me when I asked what it was but I was like eight or nine and I wasn’t getting it, so she suggested I just order the pancakes that had the compote. So I did. I love blueberries and I love pie, so to me it was like having pie filling on top of my pancakes. I was in absolute heaven. For months after that I nagged at my mom to make compote at home, but she didn’t know how. So…I taught myself. It was a few years later when I finally figured it out, and shortly after that I learned to make actual syrups out of fruit. Boysenberry, mulberry, strawberry, any syrup you can imagine, I can make. I have jars of the stuff at home. In fact…” Dean stood up.

“Wait here, I’ll be right back.”

Cas watched Dean rush out of the room, hearing as the man ran up the stairs. A few minutes later he was coming back down with one of the small bags he had brought with. He set it on his lap as he sat back in his seat and unzipped it.

“I brought you some things.” Dean looked up shyly as he pulled several jars out of the bag and set them on the table.

“You…do canning?” Cas asked, surprised. Of all the things he and Dean discussed, canning was not one of them.

“Yeah. It’s a hobby. I have some chemical allergies and preservative allergies, so doing my own canning means I can keep that junk out of my food,” Dean explained. Cas picked each jar up, examining the label. Pickles, green beans, peaches (he was really looking forward to trying those), and three jars of preserves. He chose one labeled mixed berries and opened it.

“Mind if I try some on my toast?” he asked as he picked up a clean butter knife.

“Nah, that’s what I brought it for.” Dean motioned towards the toast and Cas grabbed a piece. He spread a generous amount of preserves on top of it and took a bite.

“Holy…WOW! This is good! What’s in this?” Cas picked the jar up again, rereading the label.

“Um, that one I think is one of my sweet preserves, so blackberries, raspberries, mulberries, and blueberries. My mom makes me send her like a dozen of those every year. I have a couple more in here that I’m bringing for her as a Christmas present. I make a tart one too, it’s more raspberries, strawberries and with a hint of lemon. Charlie prefers that one.” Dean set a couple more jars on the table before setting the bag back on the floor and digging into his food once more.

“I grow vegetables almost year round, but I don’t know how to can. I have a greenhouse out back that I think you’ll love. You’d be in heaven out there with what it has the potential to produce. I just grow some tomatoes, cucumbers and a few other things. Whatever I get extra of I just give to my brother or other faculty members at work. If I knew how to can, though, I wouldn’t have to worry about buying vegetables in the dead of winter.” Cas looked up at Dean who had paused in his eating to stare back at him.

“I live in an apartment but I grow some tomatoes on my kitchen counter. It’s not enough though. I’d…love to be able to grow more, expand my canning.” Dean lowered his eyes to his food again. He wasn’t sure exactly what Cas was getting at, but he had a pretty good idea. 

“After breakfast I’ll take you out back, show you the greenhouse, and the barn,” Cas told him. Dean smiled around a mouthful of pancakes and nodded.

“I’d like that.”

The rest of breakfast was spent discussing Dean’s new employees and how well they were all fitting in. As they loaded the last of the dishes into the dishwasher Dean turned to face Cas.

“I would like to cook dinner for you tonight, that’s if you’ll let me.”

“Dean, I want you to feel at home here. You can do anything you want, I won’t stop you.” Cas’ expression was earnest. He truly wanted Dean to start thinking of this as his home too. Maybe then he’d want to stay.

“Ok. I think I might need to go to the store.” He glanced out the window. A lot of snow had fallen overnight. The Impala was almost completely covered. “And do you have a garage I could store Baby in while I’m here?”

“Actually, I cleared a spot in the garage for her already. I just forgot to tell you to pull her in last night. Let me make a phone call, and we’ll park her in there tonight, ok?” Cas took him by the hand and led him upstairs.

“Dress warm, and we’ll head outside,” he told Dean. Dean nodded. Flannel was needed.

Dressing warm was necessary but Dean didn’t mind the cold. He put on the pair of long underwear he’d brought under his thickest pair of jeans and opted for wool socks and his boots. He slipped into a Henley before finding a flannel shirt and putting that on over it. When he looked over at Cas he had to do a double take. The man was dressed in a thick sweater that hugged his body and though his jeans were fleece lined, they hugged his thighs and ass in all the right places. He pulled a cap down over his unruly hair and shrugged on a thick, fleece-lined coat as he waited for Dean to put his coat and hat on. 

“Those won’t do. Here.” Cas handed Dean a pair of thick, fleece lined gloves when he tried to put on the thin ones he had brought. Dean accepted them as they stepped out the back door and slipped them on. The temperature had dropped considerably just since yesterday but the sky was clear and almost as blue as Cas’ eyes as they trekked through the snow. 

First, Cas led him to what initially looked like a pile of lumber and windows on the ground, until Dean spotted the door at one end. He followed Cas through the door and down a couple of steps into an in-ground greenhouse. 

“This is so cool!” Dean said excitedly as he looked around at the raised vegetable beds.

“I tried to grow some vegetables a few years back in a community garden, but the rabbits kept eating them, and what the rabbits didn’t get, the deer and bugs did, so when I bought this place I researched ways to grow them without them getting eaten. I also wanted to try growing them earlier in the year. I read about these types of greenhouses, and this year I had a lot of success with it. I didn’t grow a lot, but what I did grow I was able to have for much longer than the weather outside permitted.” Cas pointed out where he had planted tomatoes and cucumbers, and where he was hoping to try for beans and potatoes in the spring. Dean really liked the idea of a greenhouse, and of having a garden in general.

“So if you have a forty acre ranch, what exactly are you doing with all the land?” Dean asked as they returned to the yard and made their way to the barn.

“I’m just one person, and I don’t really have the need for acres of vegetables, so mostly I let the horses use them for pasture, and I let a few acres fill with wildflowers for the bees,” Cas explained. Dean liked that idea a lot. 

“Where are the bees now?” he asked. Cas went into a lengthy explanation of how he housed the beehives in the winter and Dean listened intently, hanging on every word. He looked out across the open fields and up towards the mountain ridge in the distance. Even covered in snow, everything was beautiful. It was easy to entertain the thought that he could truly be happy here. 

“Dean?” Cas was standing at the door to the barn and looking at him. He hadn’t heard his name being called.

“Sorry,” he apologized as they went into the barn. It was much warmer inside.

“What were you thinking about?” Cas asked as they walked past the stables and he introduced Dean to the two horses that resided inside the barn.

“I was thinking of how incredible it is here. That view is amazing,” Dean said.

“That’s why I bought the place. I couldn’t pass on that view. In the spring and summer it’s absolutely breathtaking,” Cas told him.

“I can’t wait to see that.” Dean smiled tentatively and Cas walked over, wrapping his arms around him.

“That makes me very happy to hear.” 

Dean closed the gap between them, leaning down to kiss him softly. The barn door opened and a woman in a dark blue coat walked in.

“Oh, I’m sorry Mr. Novak, am I interrupting?” she asked.

“No, Fran, you’re not. Remember I told you my boyfriend was coming? Well, this is Dean. Dean, meet Fran, she takes care of my horses. Her husband and son help around the property. They live here on the land. I sort of inherited them when I bought the place, but I’m very thankful for them.” Dean turned to face the woman, offering her his hand. She shook it, smiling warmly up at him.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dean. Mr. Novak here can’t stop talking about you. We’re very glad to finally meet you,” she said. Dean grinned at his boyfriend, who was trying to hide his red cheeks inside his scarf.

“Don’t worry, babe. Once you meet Charlie and Sam you’ll see how much I talk about you too,” Dean told him.

Back inside the house it took them a couple of minutes to strip out of all their winter gear but Dean had to chuckle when Cas took his cap off. His already wild hair was sticking straight up. Dean reached up to run his fingers through it, marveling yet again at how incredibly soft it really was.

“Let’s watch a movie,” Dean suggested after they had decided on coffee to help them warm up.

“Sure. I don’t have a huge movie selection but I have Netflix and Prime. I’m sure you can find something,” Cas said as he settled onto the sofa, pulling his legs up underneath himself. He was still chilled but when Dean pulled the throw blanket off the back of the sofa and tucked it around him, he couldn’t help but smile. When Dean sat down, Cas scooted closer.

“Can we talk about a couple of things?” Dean asked about a third of the way through the movie they were watching. Cas grabbed the remote and paused it. His heart was racing at the thought of what Dean could possibly want to talk about.

“Anything,” he said as he sent up a silent prayer that Dean wasn’t disappointed with him or being there.

Dean looked over and saw Cas watching him. He realized the man was scared he was going to say he wanted to leave. “It’s nothing bad, babe. Really, it’s not.” 

Cas relaxed a bit, offering a small smile at his reassuring words. “Ok, what did you want to talk about then?”

“I got to talking to Bobby. You know how we want to expand, make the shop into a chain, but that might not be as easy as we thought. A chain usually branches out from an initial location. Since Singer Auto Repair is in Chicago, ideally the next step would be to open a second location right there in Chicago. To sort of go from there. We talked about this a lot. See, he doesn’t have kids of his own, so he sees me and Sammy as though we’re the sons he always wanted. Sam though, he doesn’t want anything to do with working on cars. It was always me under the hood, either with my dad, with Bobby, with my stepdad. Didn’t matter, I think I was born with a wrench in my hand.” He smirked and Cas smiled at the joke.

“Anyway, he’s been doing a lot of thinking since I told him about you. His intention was always to pass the place on down to me, and I would have gladly taken ownership and worked myself into an early grave trying to maintain that place. It’s rough owning a business in Chicago. But Bobby knows I’m not happy there. I was never a city boy, and never will be. For a while I was thinking of going back home to Kansas, to open my own shop there. I’d do well, I think. But it wouldn’t be the same. I mean, I know we just physically met and all, but I knew not long after I first met you over Skype and really started to get to know you that I wanted this to be more than just online. I would like to see where this goes, Cas, and see how I like Montana. I can open a shop anywhere. I’d rather do it where the person I love more than anything is at.” Dean was staring into his nearly empty coffee cup as he talked, trying not to let his nerves get the best of him. His hands were shaking, and he was barely keeping his voice steady, but he managed to get all the words out.

“You’d maybe want to come stay? Permanently?” Cas set his own empty cup on the coffee table before reaching for Dean’s and doing the same.

“I want to see how this week goes, but…yeah, I do. If you’re not sick of me in a week we can go from there. It won’t be immediate, but maybe by the time spring arrives?” Dean barely got the words out before Cas was in his arms, hugging him tight.

“I’m not going to be sick of you, Dean! Stop saying that!” the man cried as he peppered Dean’s face with kisses.

“Okay, baby, I love your enthusiasm. It relieves a lot of my worries. I was afraid you wouldn’t want me to really stay.” Dean confessed. Cas placed a hand tenderly against Dean’s cheek.

“Of course I want you to stay. I love you, Dean.”

Dean pulled Cas farther into his lap and laid his head on the man’s shoulder. “I was hoping you’d show me where that auto shop is. I’d like to make them an offer if I think the place is worth it. Bobby said he’d help me out if I don’t have enough.”

“How much do you already have saved?” Cas asked.

“I’ve been saving for years, so maybe around sixty?” Dean would have to check his bank account to be sure. Cas looked up in wide eyed shock.

“Sixty. As in sixty _thousand_?!”

Dean nodded. “I told you, I rebuild classic cars and make a pretty good dime from them, but I’ve also been helping my brother through school so he doesn’t have to ask our folks for help. I know he’ll pay me back later when he’s a big, fancy lawyer.” 

“I’m impressed. This place was my big splurge once my second book took off. I have a third one in the works because I have a contract to complete, but it’s expected to do well, too. Mostly though it’s in the science community. I hoarded my money until I decided I finally wanted to fulfill my lifelong dream of owning a farm. I just didn’t know where I wanted to live. When I got offered the position at the university after my book took off, I came to look around and fell in love with the mountains. Then I found this place. I’d have never been able to afford it without the books. I was a broke school teacher for Christ’s sake,” Cas laughed. Dean smiled and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

“Broke or not, I’d still love you. Money doesn’t make a person. Well, it can make them an asshole, but that’s about it. I’m glad it didn’t make you one,” Dean told him.

“Or you,” Cas sighed contentedly. All his worries from the night before were fading away. Dean loved him. Dean wanted to stay. Dean wanted to be with him. That was all that mattered.

“We’re not assholes because we know what it’s like to go without. I could never begrudge someone that struggled their entire life. If anything, I respect them even more for not letting that struggle tear them down.”

For a long time they just sat like that, watching the snow fall outside the windows that wrapped around the large living room and feeling warm and content. Dean had never felt this comfortable with anyone outside of his family, save for Charlie, but even she was family now as far as he was concerned. 

Their attention eventually went back to the movie they had been trying to watch but around two Dean decided to go root around in the kitchen to see what Cas had on hand to make for dinner. 

“Cas? How far is the nearest store?” he called out to the man still sitting on the sofa.

“Twenty minutes away. Maybe a little longer in this weather, why?” Cas got up and went into the kitchen to find Dean pulling packages of meat out of the freezer. He looked up sheepishly when he saw Cas watching him.

“Uh…”

“I told you to do whatever you wanted. What are you looking for though? Maybe I can help,” Cas offered. Dean looked down at the packages in his hand.

“Do you have anything already ground? I’d like to make burgers tonight.”

Cas opened a drawer in the freezer and rooted around in it for a moment.

“I’m afraid not, I think I ate the last of the buffalo.”

“Buffalo?” Dean asked, surprised.

“Oh, yes. It’s quite delicious. I started buying different types of meat just to see what they tasted like, but buffalo is one of my favorites,” Cas replied. Dean moved everything he had taken out back into the freezer. Later he wanted to organize it all. Hopefully he wouldn’t drive Cas nuts doing that.

“So, you up for a trip to the store? And will my car make it?”

“I have a truck with four wheel drive. It’s sort of mandatory up here to have a truck,” Cas replied. 

“Figured. Guess I’ll need to invest in one?” Dean suddenly felt shy again but the bright smile on Cas’ face chased that feeling away quickly.

“I know a dealer, he has good vehicles, no lemons. He’s the brother of one of the other university professors. I bought my truck from him and I have no problems with it at all,” Cas replied excitedly.

“Good, we’ll have to talk to him at some point soon too. I’ll have to budget that in too.” Dean got the last of the food back into the freezer and wiped his hands on his jeans. “Ready?” Cas nodded.

“My truck is in the garage and I had Scott, Fran’s son, clear the driveway this morning. He’ll dig out the Impala too, and when we get back you can move her into the garage. By the way, the garage is heated.” 

Dean grinned hearing that. His Baby was going to be spoiled. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So hopefully I was right and you all enjoyed this chapter. Leave a comment, let me know what you thought of it. Love you guys!


	10. Things Are Falling Into Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas go shopping. They have an important discussion regarding their future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, more fluff. Enjoy!  
> Smut is coming in the next chapter. ;)

The roads were a mess but Cas’ truck handled them like a pro. Cas was behind the wheel, eyes locked on the snow-covered asphalt in front of them, and Dean was impressed by how carefully the man drove. He wasn’t crawling forward as they drove into town but was actually driving about as fast as Dean would under such conditions. When they reached the town Dean had to smile. It was busy, despite the weather, and rather quaint. Cas found a parking spot near the grocery store and they hurried to get inside.

“Professor Novak!” A large man dressed in flannel greeted Cas as they walked in. Cas was busy shaking snow out of his hair but he looked up and smiled at the man.

“Hello Lou, how have you been?” he asked.

“Good, good. It’s busy now with the weather like it is.” Lou motioned to the heavy, falling snow outside.

“I can imagine. We need some meat, ground buffalo, beef, and some chicken breasts too while we’re at it.” Cas looked over at Dean who nodded in agreement.

“Sure thing. Who’s your friend? A fellow professor?” Lou asked as he started for the meat display.

“No, this is my boyfriend, Dean. I believe I mentioned that he was coming this week,” Cas replied. Dean was surprised by how casually Cas mentioned their relationship, and just who he was talking to about it. It amused him actually how excited Cas must have been for him to finally get here.

“Right, right, the fella from Chicago.” Lou was tying a white butcher’s apron on as he stepped behind the counter.

“That would be me,” Dean said, smiling at Cas.

“Never been there myself, but I hear it’s nice.” Lou glanced over at Dean as he opened the door and pulled out a hunk of meat.

“It’s expensive and overcrowded, and ridiculously hot in the summer. I’m originally from Kansas,” Dean replied.

“I didn’t think that was a Chicago accent I was hearing.” Lou laughed and winked at him. Dean broke out in a toothy grin.

“Yeah, some people know right away that I’m not from Chicago.”

“Now Kansas I’ve been to. Whereabouts ya from?” Lou asked.

“Lawrence. Family is in Lebanon now though.” Dean replied.

“I think I’ve been to Lawrence. Rather dull state if I remember.” Lou looked apologetic as he said that but Dean just laughed and nodded.

“It really is dull.” 

They chatted amicably as Lou ground the meat for them. Cas left to get a cart and came back in time to put the neatly bundled packages into it. 

“We have some more shopping to do but it was very nice talking with you, Lou,” Cas told the man.

“Always a pleasure, Professor!” Lou waved as they walked away.

“He’s nice,” Dean remarked.

“I wish everyone were, but alas, bigotry abounds everywhere. Lou’s daughter was in one of my classes last year, when I first started teaching here. Nice girl, friendly, we hit it off. Well, her dad thought it would be nice for us to date once she was no longer my student.” Cas sighed and rolled his eyes which drew a humored rumble from deep in Dean’s chest. 

“I can see why that didn’t work out.” 

Cas rolled his eyes again and glanced back at Lou, who was happily serving another customer. “Donna’s a lesbian. He didn’t know. He was pushing her to date. Any guy he thought could be a potential love interest, he shoved in her general direction. She snapped finally, told him she was gay and once he got over the initial shock, he became her biggest ally. And…now he finds women for her to date.”

Dean laughed louder, shoving his fist against his lips to stifle most of the noise.

“He flat out asked me one day if the reason I never came in with a wife or a girlfriend was because I was gay. I saw no reason to lie, and he wasn’t asking to be mean. So I told him the truth. Shortly after that I met you. He kept asking if I had a boyfriend, and then…I did. So I told him about you,” Cas shrugged. Dean smiled and pulled the man closer.

“He’s pretty cool, and I’ve encountered enough homophobia that I know how to handle myself. A few scared assholes aren’t going to run me off.” He placed a tender kiss against Cas’ temple, loving the way the man leaned into it and sighed contentedly. 

“Come on, let’s pick up what we’re going to need for the rest of the week, the weather is going to get worse before it gets better,” Cas finally said and started pushing the cart. Dean followed along, grabbing a few things and stopping to examine the labels on others.

“Is this place a health foods store?” he asked after a few minutes.

“No, but it has a lot of natural products. That will help with your allergies, right?” Cas looked up from the cheeses he was examining.

“Yeah, actually it will. I’m just used to shopping at places like Target and Walmart. This is nice. And they really have a lot of stuff I’ve never even heard of, but I’d like to try.” Dean was eyeing buffalo jerky. It was pricey but sounded good. He tossed it in the cart.

“There is a Walmart, and a Target, but we have to drive a lot farther to get to them. This is convenient and carries most of what I need. I cheat and order things like toilet paper and stuff to clean the house online and just have it delivered,” Cas admitted.

“I’m cool with that. I’m less tempted to spend a small fortune if I stay out of the chain stores.” Dean found the spice section and began searching through them. They were sold by the ounce, and he felt like a kid in a candy store as he began bagging up ones he wanted. Cas leaned his chin on Dean’s shoulder, watching as he carefully labeled each little bag with what was inside of it before tying it up and tossing it in the cart.

“Those will need jars that seal. I’ll be right back.” Cas wandered off to search for them, leaving Dean to have at the spices. He was gone for several minutes before someone to Dean’s right spoke.

“Wow, you really like spices, don’t you?”

Dean looked up to see a pretty girl eyeing the contents of the cart. He followed her gaze and grinned when he saw just how many he had bagged. At least an ounce each of a dozen or more. He hadn’t seen very many spices at all in Cas’ cabinets, and he wanted to have a variety to choose from if he was going to be cooking there.

“I like having different ones to choose from, depending on what I’m cooking,” he replied.

“A man that can cook, I like that.” She smiled, her green eyes sparkling with interest.

“Ah, ha ha.” He glanced around for Cas but didn’t see the man anywhere. 

“So what’s your name? I don’t think I’ve seen you in town before.” She tilted her head, letting long, dark brown ringlets spill down over her shoulders. She was awful pretty, and he got the impression that she was fully aware of just how attractive she was.

“I’m new here. First time in town,” he replied, trying to remain polite as he directed his eyes back to the spices. 

“What’s your name?” she asked.

“I’m Dean.” He didn’t want to give his name but he also didn’t want to come across as rude.

“Well Dean, I’m Juliette. What brings you to Haven?” she asked.

“I brought him,” Cas replied as he walked up. He placed two dozen small jars into the cart along with a few other items.

“Castiel, so good to see you again. Is Dean a friend of yours visiting for the holidays?” she asked. When he looked up he saw the way she was looking at Dean and narrowed his eyes.

“He’s my boyfriend.” Cas’ voice had an edge to it that made Dean look up and frown. He looked between his boyfriend and Juliette trying to figure out what he was missing. Hopefully Cas would fill him in later.

“Oh, well…welcome to Haven, Dean. Perhaps I’ll see more of you around.” She touched his arm and gave a coy smile before walking away. Dean turned and frowned at Cas.

“What the hell was that, and who is she?” 

Cas was glaring in the general direction of where Juliette had disappeared. “She’s...” He wasn’t sure exactly what to say without coming off sounding like an ass.

“Town whore?” Dean suggested. Cas’ eyes widened and he bit down on his lower lip to stop himself from smiling but he gave a curt nod.

“That would be an adequate term. I’m glad you said it and not me though.” Cas sifted through the dozen or so small bags in the cart. Dean waited to see if he would complain but instead he just studied each one before returning it to the cart.

“Will you be cooking with all of these tonight?” Cas asked.

“No, but over time I would like to cook more than just burgers for you, babe,” Dean replied. Cas looked up, a soft smile on his lips.

“Good, I look forward to it.” 

They ended up crossing paths with Juliette three more times and Cas was about to snap at her for constantly rubbing up against Dean or touching him before Dean finally got them into line to pay for their stuff. Out at the truck Dean pulled Cas into his arms.

“You don’t have to worry about chicks like her. I’m not interested in her, a certain man with piercing blue eyes and a smoking hot body has, most certainly, stolen my heart. She doesn’t have a chance in the world. Besides, town whores need to be avoided at all cost. I feel dirty just where she touched me.” Dean shuddered and Cas snickered.

“Yeah, I know. She just pisses me off. I’m sorry.” Cas glared back at the store for good measure where he knew Juliette was still inside shopping.

“Come on, let’s go home and I will treat you to homemade burgers and garlic rosemary fries.” 

Cas perked up at the sound of that. “Do you want to drive? To get used to these roads and all.” Dean held out his hand once they all the bags in the trunk and Cas tossed him the keys.  
The ride home was calm and they discussed several different topics along the way, from Sam’s near perfect GPA, despite his recent loss, to Dean’s mother and her style of cooking. By the time they reached the house they were both in a very good mood and starting to get hungry. 

After parking in the garage Dean moved the newly cleaned off Impala into the garage, parking it next to Cas’ truck. The garage was enormous, with space for at least four vehicles and the giant riding snow blower that was currently parked on the other side of the truck. When he got into the house he found Cas sitting at the kitchen table carefully funneling spices into the new jars and labeling them. As he did that Dean went about preparing the burgers and slicing the potatoes. He was enjoying finding his way around the kitchen, learning where everything was and fighting the urge to rearrange things more to his own liking. 

“Where would you like these?” Cas asked once he had all the dried herbs and spices neat inside their new jars.

“Where do you usually keep the spices?” Dean asked. Cas pointed at a small spice rack on the counter. Dean frowned. Well that wouldn’t do. He wanted them close at hand for cooking and the spice rack was clear on the other side of the room.

“I have an idea. Hold on.” Cas left the jars on the counter and went out to the garage. He returned about ten minutes later holding a box.

“This is stuff my brother gave to me when I moved in here. Some of it I didn’t think I had the space for, but some of it I had no idea what to do with. There’s a wire rack in here that should hang on the inside of a cabinet door and hold the jars. Til we figure something else out.” Cas rooted around in the box until he found the rack. It was dirty, covered in years of dust and grime from having been left in an open box in storage, so he washed it and then dried it off. Dean took it and hung it inside the upper cabinet closest to the stove. It fit, barely, but he was pleased to see that the jars all fit. In fact, there was room for another half dozen or so. While Dean alphabetized the herbs and spices, Cas went through the box looking to see what else his brother had passed on to him.

“He gave me metal storage containers that seal. I wish I’d known about these years ago. I’d have been using them all along for my coffee.” He muttered to himself as he went through the rest of the box. Dean took a quick peek before returning to the stove to start cooking the burgers. He had already popped the fries in the oven and the kitchen was filling with the delicious smell of garlic.

“He gave me magnets,” Cas said, looking up in horror.

“What’s so wrong with magnets?” Dean asked, glancing over at the shiny, stainless steel fridge that appeared to have a small handful of magnets already on it.

“Look.” Cas pulled out what looked like a recipe box and opened the lid. It was filled almost to overflowing with fridge magnets.

“Who the hell needs that many magnets?” Dean wondered aloud.

“Apparently my brother did.” Cas closed the lid and set it back inside the larger box. He put the box back in the garage and when he returned to the kitchen Dean was adding thick slices of cheddar cheese to the burgers and moving them to the waiting buns Cas had set out for him. His stomach grumbled as he breathed in the scent of meat and cheese, and the garlic permeating the air had him almost salivating. Dean noticed and chuckled.

“Take it to the table. Do you want wine or beer with dinner? Or something else?” Dean asked.

“I have aloe vera juice in the door of the fridge. Give me a bottle please?” Cas took the plates with the burgers to the table and Dean brought over his juice.

“This stuff is good?” he asked, turning the bottle over in his hands and reading the label.

“It’s delicious, and good for you.” Cas accepted the bottle as it was handed over and watched with more interest than he cared to admit as Dean bent over to pull the fries from the oven.

As they ate they discussed the plans for the rest of the week, weather permitting. They would visit the auto shop in the morning to get a look at the place and a feel for the owner, and then they would do some Christmas shopping. Cas hadn’t bought anything for Dean’s family and though Dean insisted he didn’t need to, he refused to listen. When they got back they planned to relax and order dinner in so they could just enjoy one another’s company. 

Dean had come up on a Friday, arriving Saturday afternoon so that they would have the weekend together. Cas still had to stop by the university Monday for a meeting before his winter break officially kicked off, which meant Dean got to hang out by himself for a couple of hours. Cas had offered to bring him with but Dean wanted to take his time and get to know the house. The rest of the week they planned to explore the town and surrounding areas, but mostly they wanted to just hide away, making love and learning all the little things that turned one another on. 

The following morning Dean was up bright and early, but Cas refused to wake up. He’d warned Dean that he wasn’t a morning person, so Dean let him be while he went downstairs to start the coffee and get breakfast on the table. He was humming as he scrambled the eggs and just as he was sliding them onto plates, someone rang the doorbell. He tightened his robe, thankful he’d worn his pajama pants to bed last night as he went to answer the door.

“Well hello handsome. I assume you must be Dean?” The man at the door asked. He was looking Dean up and down like he was ready to devour him. Unconsciously Dean tightened his robe around his throat.

“I am. And you are?” The man patted Dean’s shoulder and sauntered past him and into the house.

“I am Balthazar. Surely Cassie has mentioned me.” The man who had quite a nice British accent was already removing his scarf and coat, hanging them on the hooks by the door.

“Name’s familiar.” Dean narrowed his eyes. He couldn’t quite figure this guy out, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to.

“I teach Ethics and Humanities at the university. Are you cooking?” The man sniffed the air, and Dean watched as he disappeared into the kitchen. Annoyed, he shut the door and followed the man. He found Balthazar pouring himself a cup of coffee. 

“I take it you’re a friend of Cas?” Dean asked as he slipped Cas’ plate into the microwave to keep the eggs warm.

“I am his best friend. I am also the reason you two lovebirds found one another.” Balthazar winked over the top of his coffee cup and everything slipped into place for Dean. Yes, Cas had mentioned Balthazar more than once, though he usually referred to him as Bal.

“I suppose I should thank you for that.” Dean picked up his own coffee cup and nodded at Balthazar. He expected a smug response from the man but that was not what he got.

“No, it is I that should thank you. He was so depressed, lost in his work and in writing before he met you. I had to literally come and drag him out of the house and force him to socialize. Since he met you he’s been so incredibly happy. We’ve had dinner at least once a month since you two got serious, and you are all he ever talks about.”

Balthazar leaned closer and dropped his voice to a conspirator level. “He wants you to move in, do you know that? I told him that was unlikely seeing as how you have a life out in Chicago, but please, let him down as gently as possible.”

Dean held up a hand. “I am moving out here. It’s been on my mind for a while now. I hate Chicago. We’ve been talking about it. I still have to go back, I run a garage and I need to get my replacement ready and work out things with my roommate, but yeah, I love him and we’re going to try living together.”

Balthazar’s eyebrows shot so high up Dean was afraid they might launch right off his face.

“You’re serious?”

“As a heart attack,” Dean replied.

“Well I’ll be damned. I thought I’d be cleaning up the aftermath you left behind, but apparently I was mistaken.” Balthazar seemed to be reappraising him. Dean leaned back against the counter and picked up his plate of eggs.

“Have you eaten?” he asked.

“I did, thank you for asking,” Balthazar replied. As Dean ate his eggs they talked and he found the man was not quite as obnoxious as he had first believed.

When Cas finally ventured downstairs it was to the sound of voices and laughter. He staggered into the kitchen still rubbing at his eyes.

“Dean?” he asked. 

“In the living room, babe. Your breakfast is in the microwave, and I just made a fresh pot of coffee. Your cup is on the counter,” Dean called back. Cas smiled as he opened the microwave and saw the plate of eggs. They were cold so he heated them up before taking the plate and a cup of coffee with him to the living room. 

“I knew I heard another voice,” he said as he settled onto the sofa next to Dean.

“Well good morning to you too, Cassie,” Balthazar said good naturedly. Cas smiled around a forkful of eggs and nodded.

“So you’ve learned our dear Cassie is not much of a morning person?” Balthazar asked Dean.

“Oh, yeah,” Dean nodded and grinned at his boyfriend who just shot him a dirty look. “It’s ok though because that means I get to cook breakfast. I don’t think he’s complaining.” 

“No, these are fantastic,” Cas said as he finished the last bite. He set the plate on the coffee table and concentrated on the hot cup of coffee in his hands.

“What brought you by, Bal?” he asked.

“Well, several things actually. First, I wanted to see if Dean here would actually show up, and if he did, I wanted the chance to actually see what kind of man he was. I approve.” Balthazar winked at Cas who just snorted and rolled his eyes.

“And what else?”

“I came to invite you to a party I am throwing next week, Christmas Eve, but Dean here says he’s taking you home to meet his family.” The man still seemed mildly shocked by that. Cas shifted so that he could lean against Dean who lifted his arm and wrapped it around his shoulders.

“Yes, we’re spending a week with his family in Kansas.”

“And after that?” Balthazar asked.

“That’s the part that sucks. I go back to Chicago to get stuff in order, Cas comes back here for work,” Dean replied. Cas leaned his head against Dean’s shoulder. Now that he had Dean here he didn’t want to think of what it would be like without him to hold in his arms every night.

“Hopefully it won’t be for long,” he added.

“I’m going to give Charlie a call here in a few and see if she actually started looking for a roommate or not,” Dean said.

“Charlie is your roommate?” Balthazar asked.

“Yes, we share an apartment in the city. She’s a friend from Kansas, though I think of her more as my kid sister than anything. I doubt though that she’ll stay in Chicago for long once I’m gone. She’s coming down for Christmas too. Her family kicked her out when she came out as a teenager, so I brought her to live with me. My folks sort of adopted her. She already likes Cas,” Dean said happily.

“I like her too, she’s very bubbly but very easy to talk to. She Skyped me a couple of times while you were working late, to talk about Dorothy and about school mostly,” Cas said.

“Really? She didn’t tell me. Well, I’m glad you two get along.” Dean kissed the top of Cas’ head.

“You two are adorable,” Balthazar said dryly.

“We know,” Dean smirked.

“Well, it’s a shame you won’t be attending my party, it’s going to be quite fun. Perhaps another time.”

“Bal throws parties throughout the year. Whenever he gets bored, he throws one and tries to force me to go. Maybe in the spring we’ll go to one,” Cas explained. Dean nodded. Parties would help him meet people in the area, socialize and maybe make some new friends. Not only that, it could potentially give him the chance to let people know he had a business in the area.

“I’d like that,” he said. Balthazar grinned.

“Good, I’ll hold you to that!” 

Balthazar left shortly after that and Dean went upstairs to get dressed. Cas came up a few minutes later.

“Um, Dean?”

Dean was buttoning up his flannel shirt and he looked up at the sound of his name.

“Yeah?”

Cas crossed the room and stopped in front of the long dresser. He opened three of the drawers and took a step back.

“I, um…” He motioned towards the drawers. “They’re for you.”

Dean understood the gravity of what he was saying and it brought a smile to his face. He walked over to Cas and pulled him close.

“You know, I have a lot more stuff than what will fit in just three drawers.” Cas looked up at him, eyes wide and serious.

“Of course! I had this set specially made and the carpenter that made it, he could make another dresser for just you.”

Dean kissed him tenderly. “I like that idea. Now come on, sweetheart, get dressed.”

Cas had a smile on his face that he still couldn’t shake, even after they were out in the truck and pulling out of the driveway. Dean noticed his good mood.

“What has you so happy?” he asked. Cas smiled wider as he glanced over at him.

“You do, silly. I’ve never been as happy as I have since I met you. You’re everything I could have ever asked for.” He reached over to take Dean’s hand, lacing their fingers together.

“I feel the same way. I’m looking forward to you meeting my folks. My mom is going to love you,” Dean told him. Cas hoped he was right. He wasn’t accepted by his own family, and all he wanted was to fit in.

The drive to the auto shop took less than half an hour, even as snow continued to fall. Dean was timing it to see just how much driving he would have to do each day. This was less than what he did on a good day in Chicago traffic, and much more calming. Cas had called ahead to get an appointment with the owner, and as they pulled into the parking lot the old man was standing just inside the door watching and waiting.

“That’s Darnell right there. He’s going to come off as a grumpy old coot but seriously, he’s mostly deaf and perpetually constipated, as I’m sure he will declare ten times during the conversation. Once you see past his rough exterior, he’s not all that bad,” Cas said as they started for the door. “Oh, and I don’t know his stance on gay rights, so I did not tell him that you’re moving here to live with me. As far as he knows you’re looking to move to the area and wish to set up your own business. I thought it would be best if the details were left out. I’d hate to find out he’s phobic and won’t sell as a result.”

“If he wants to act like that I’ll open my own shop, and he’ll regret it. I don’t tolerate homophobia.” Dean’s jaw clenched and Cas wanted to soothe him, but Darnell was watching. When they reached the door the old man opened it.

“You Dean Winchester?” he asked. Dean nodded.

“I am.”

“Awful young to be thinking of buying me out, ain’t cha?” Darnell asked as he eyed the young man before him.

“Sir, I’ve been working under the hood of a car since I was in diapers, and I’ve worked full time in an auto shop since I was legally old enough to. I have run my uncle’s shop back in Chicago since I graduated college. I hold two degrees and am quite business savvy. I know exactly what I am doing and how to run my own shop.” Dean replied. The sheer confidence in his voice made the old man’s brows rise up on his wrinkled forehead.

“A man that knows his stuff. I like that. Come on back to my office and we can talk.”

Darnell led them through a very dated looking waiting room to a cluttered and even more outdated office. He motioned towards two chairs as he sat down behind the desk. Dean and Cas sat in the chairs, Cas with his hands folded neatly in his lap and Dean relaxed with his legs crossed.

“So what on earth made you consider moving up here?” Darnell asked. Dean smirked, glancing at Cas before answering.

“I saw an opportunity. Plus, it’s absolutely breathtaking up here. Fresh air, mountain view, it sure beats Chicago.” 

The corners of Darnell’s mouth turned up slightly hearing that. “Ain’t no place prettier on Earth. So, what kind of offer are we talking about?”

Dean had brought along his camera and a notebook in order to document everything he saw. He intended to send all of the information to Bobby that evening for consideration. Darnell took them on a tour of the shop before they went over the yearly income and the cost to run the place. The shop was old and clearly needed a lot of updates, but if the old man took his offer, it would be within his budget to fix the place up and modernize it some. Cas followed behind listening to the conversation, growing more and more impressed with Dean’s business sense and his ability to keep up with Darnell’s talk of engines and carburetors as well as discussions of budgets and spreadsheets.

“I am going to take all of this and send it to my partner tonight. I should have an offer for you by the end of the week.” Dean said once they were back in the office again.

“I can accept that.” Darnell sighed and leaned forward in his seat. “I’m an old man, damn close to ninety now and still working on cars. If you’re sure you’re really interested and you make a fair offer, I will seriously consider it. It’s high time I retired and took a vacation. I been battling arthritis and constipation for damn near twenty years now. I want to be able to just do what I want, when I want. So send me your offer and we’ll talk again.” He offered one gnarled hand and Dean shook it without hesitation.

“Yes, sir. I most certainly will.” 

The drive into town was pleasant and Cas asked a million questions about the shop and what Dean’s plans were to update it. Dean found that he was excited over the prospect of owning his own business, and it showed as he described the things he wanted to change, such as updated equipment and computers as well as new tiles for the floor in the waiting room. When Cas drove into the town square Dean’s eyes widened. Christmas decorations were everywhere and a giant Christmas tree sat in the middle of the square, covered in lights and ornaments. With the falling snow it reminded Dean of A Miracle on 34th St, and he was in absolute awe. Once they had parked and got out, Dean headed immediately for the tree, staring up at it. It was easily at least eighty feet tall and not a cut one that had been placed there. No, this one had been planted centuries earlier, either by natives, animals, or God himself, and someone had made the decision when building this town to leave it there. When Cas joined him he gazed up at it with him.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he asked.

“Breathtaking…,” Dean replied.

“Do you like Christmas, Dean?” Cas looked over at Dean.

“I love Christmas, Cas! It’s my favorite holiday!” Dean’s eyes were sparkling so brightly with excitement he looked even younger than his twenty-four years. Cas loved it.

“I too enjoy the holiday, though for years it has only been Gabe and myself. I look forward to spending time with your family.”

Dean held out a hand and Cas let himself be pulled close. “They’re going to love you, and you’re going to have a wonderful time. My mother will stuff you full of homemade pie and eggnog and my stepdad will want to drag you into the living room for football. Charlie and Sam will try to engage you in board games or chess. You will fit in beautifully, babe. If I love you, they’ll love you. That’s a given.” 

Cas leaned against Dean’s side and looked up again at the tree. It was only midday and the lights weren’t on yet, but it was still beautiful. The afternoon was cold and snowflakes continued to fall from the sky above, but he was incredibly happy in that moment. What he had with Dean was so much better than any of his previous relationships. Not that he had a ton to compare it to, but if he had to pick a specific one, he’d choose the one with Dick. Where Dick had been snooty and self-absorbed, Dean went out of his way to put Cas first. Dean was easy to love. It had taken every ounce of energy and sheer determination on Cas’ part to even try to love Dick. There really was no comparison. Dean was amazing. Going outside his comfort zone and taking a chance on this beautiful man was the best decision he had ever made.

They started walking, peering in store windows as they discussed who they wanted to buy for first and what they wanted to get. Dean had most of the gifts already purchased for his family but he still wanted something extra special for Cas, and he wanted something from here for his mom and for Charlie. Cas took him into a specialty store where everything was made by locals, and he quickly learned how much Dean loved to shop. It was never for himself though. Nothing he pointed out was something in mind for him. It was always with a family member, a friend, or Cas in mind. He found a pair of earrings for his mother and a tee shirt for Charlie. There was even a hand-dyed flannel shirt that he knew Sam would like, so he bought that too. More as a joke than anything he bought a cowboy hat for his stepfather. Cas picked up a couple of things he hoped Dean’s family would like before they moved on. 

They stopped in store after store before ending up in a furniture shop. 

“This is where I had all the furniture made,” Cas said as they walked around looking at some of the display items.

“This is quality craftsmanship. It’s beautiful. I like your taste, so I guess picking out couches together is unnecessary.” Dean grinned at him, making him laugh.

“At some point we’ll want to change styles or we’ll need new ones,” Cas said.

“Yeah, but not for a while. I’d like to add a few touches to the bedroom though, if that’s ok. Thing is, I’m not exactly keen on the whole cowboy theme.” Dean looked over at his boyfriend and hoped Cas didn’t shoot the idea down.

“Me either. I like rustic, furniture made of real wood and such, but I can do without Stetsons, boots, and horses decorating everything,” Cas agreed. “What did you have in mind?”

“I’m not sure, but I’ll know it when I see it,” Dean grinned. It made Cas smile too. 

After dropping their bags off back at the truck they decided to stop for dinner at a little family restaurant Cas had come to enjoy.

“You’ll like the food here. Lots to choose from, and it’s all homemade,” Cas explained as they were seated at a booth that overlooked the square. As they sat down the tree outside was being turned on. It made Cas smile to see the way Dean’s face lit up at the sight.

“Hey, Dean?” Cas asked. Green eyes tore away from the tree to look at him, the happy smile still in place.

“Yeah?”

“Well, I’m not sure how exactly to talk about this, or if this is the right time.” Cas rubbed the back of his left hand nervously with his right thumb as he tried to decide whether it was too soon in their relationship to be talking about the idea of a family, one of their own.

“Just shoot, babe, you’re not going to scare me off or make me mad.” Dean reached across the table, laying his hand over the one Cas was moving restlessly.

“Do you want kids?” Cas blurted and then winced. “Not like now, but…someday?”

“Well, yeah, I do. I love kids and think I’d be a pretty decent dad. Better than my own ever was. More like how Frank is, I think. But I’m not exactly ready for them right now. Maybe in a couple of years.” He squeezed Cas’ hand. “What about you? I’m guessing that since you brought the subject up you want them too?” Cas relaxed, smiling as he nodded.

“Yes, not right now, but someday. I have a dream of someday being successful enough with writing that I can stay home and just write and be a dad. Not have to be away all the time for work. But I don’t want to just stay at home and do nothing. I need to keep busy, you know? And I need to contribute. Writing, taking care of the bees and my garden. I don’t like feeling useless or like a burden. I was also thinking of doing web courses. Just teaching from home. It won’t happen tomorrow, but I’m hoping someday it will.”

“I like that. You have goals, a plan for your life. You know my big one, to own my own shop, and I’m so close to making that happen, but I’d like to continue to restore old cars. I want to save the extra income because one day, when I do have a family, I want to be able to take them places my folks couldn’t take me when I was a kid. And I want to do nice stuff for my mom, she deserves it. Send her on cruises for her birthdays, stuff like that. Once you meet her, you’ll see what I mean. Mostly I want to save up so that when I do have kids, I can afford to take time off work for soccer games and ballet recitals, or whatever they want to do. I don’t want to be an absent father, always working, never there when I’m needed the most.” He picked up Cas’ hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it.

“I’m not stupid, my head is on straight and people always tell me I grew up way before my time but, even though I’m young, I know what I want. And I know who I want it with. I see my future with you, Cas. The whole shebang. But I’m also not in a rush. We’ll get through the actually living together part, learn each other’s idiosyncrasies, habits, flaws, all of it. I think that if we move slowly and think through each step, we have a better chance of this lasting. It’s never felt so right with another person before like it does with you. God I can’t wait for my mother to meet you. And for the record, I don’t bring home people I’m seeing to meet her. I told her that only when and if I found the right one would I bring them home to meet her.”

Cas’ vision began to blur as his eyes filled with tears. The weight of Dean’s words rested heavily on him. This was a big deal for Dean to be taking him home to meet his family. Dean wanted him. Forever if possible. A warm hand came to rest on his cheek and he looked up to see Dean smiling at him. He wiped the tears from Cas’ eyes before patting the menu in front of him.

“What do you suggest?”

Cas went over the menu with him, pointing out his favorite dishes and the ones he wasn’t as crazy about. Dean settled on the pot roast while Cas decided he wanted to try the perch. 

“I want to head into town tomorrow, alone, if that’s ok. I want to pick up your presents. It’s hard to shop for you when you’re right there,” Dean said as they ate.

“Sure, take the truck. I have some papers to grade anyway,” Cas told him. “But Monday it will be my turn. I got you something already, but I want to get a couple of other things that I had in mind.”

Dean’s interest was piqued. “Did you buy me something today while we were out?” 

“No, I had it special made. It arrived the day before you did, and no, you won’t find it in the house if you go snooping.” Cas gave a wicked smirk that made Dean laugh.

“I’m not crazy about surprises but the holidays are different. I’m a patient man, I can wait til Christmas.”

“Good to know. Then I suppose I have to turn around and find something for your birthday too,” Cas said, more to himself than to Dean.

“I sent you that painting you wanted for your birthday, but I didn’t see it in the house,” Dean said.

“Oh, it’s in my office. I only opened the door to show you the room. I’ll take you in there when we get home. It’s on the wall opposite my desk so that when I look up and see it, I think of you.” His cheeks burned saying that, but Dean smiled brightly.

“Good, I’m glad you’re happy with it. It’s a beautiful painting.”

When their dinner was over they wandered around to the other side of the square where Dean was delighted to discover an old music shop. He pulled Cas along with him as he began rifling through CDs. Cas discovered the old posters and a section for tee shirts first.

“Dean, come check this out.” 

Dean already had a stack of CDs in his hands but he paused in his search to go see what Cas was looking at. His eyes widened when he realized he was looking at an original poster from the first Star Wars movie. The price was a hundred and twenty five dollars.

“I want that. I have to have that, Cas.” He set the CDs down and went in search of the clerk running the place. The poster was trapped inside a plastic display and when Dean returned with the young kid running the place he was practically bouncing up and down in anticipation. When the poster was handed over his eyes widened and he grinned from ear to ear.

“I’ll get it for you, sweetheart, for Christmas,” Cas told him. 

“Yeah? You’re sure? It’s expensive.” Dean frowned. The last thing he wanted was for Cas to feel obliged to buy him things.

“To see that smile on your face? That makes it priceless to me. We’ll invest in a frame; I know they carry them here, I saw them a few minutes ago. You can go home now and hang it on the bedroom wall if you like,” Cas told him. 

“God I love you.” Dean growled as he pulled Cas in for a kiss.

“Ok then…” The clerk, practically still a kid himself, just rolled his eyes and walked away. They looked through the other posters but didn’t see anything particularly interesting. Dean snagged a vintage AC/DC shirt before they headed to the front of the store. Cas had found a frame that would fit the poster and before they left the store Dean put the poster in it. 

The snow was falling heavier as they made the drive back to the house. But the conversation was easy and light. 

“Wait til I show this to Charlie. She’s going to flip! We have to Skype her tonight so I can show her,” Dean was saying. 

“Of course. There’s another similar shop two towns over and they carry a lot of vintage stuff too, including posters. I once came across an original 007 poster from when Sean Connery was Bond. I didn’t buy it though, I’m not that big of a Bond fan,” Cas admitted.

“Yeah, me either, but that’s pretty cool. When the weather improves we’ll have to drive over there and check it out. There’s a fantastic record shop in Chicago, one of the few bonuses to living in that city where they still sell actual albums, but they also sell a lot of other stuff. The tee shirts I brought with? I got most of them there. One day I’ll take you back to Chicago, maybe to spend some time down by the lake, and I’ll make sure to take you there.” 

“I would like that. There are a couple of albums I’d like to see if they carry. Also, I haven’t been to the lake probably since I was a child.” Cas replied.

“We’ll make a day of it. I’ll show you the city and we’ll get some people together and go swim, maybe find a spot for a picnic too. It’ll be fun.” Dean told him. Cas smiled brightly. His life was so incredibly perfect in that moment. 

“I can’t wait til you’re out here for good. I’m going to miss you terribly when you’re gone,” Cas admitted as he pulled into his driveway. He hit the remote for the garage and the door started sliding up. 

“Me too. I have to go over the offer I want to make and talk to Bobby about it. But I can do that tomorrow while you’re at work,” Dean said as they got out of the truck. They retrieved their bags and Dean’s new poster, carrying it all into the house. Dean dropped everything on the kitchen floor except the framed poster. Smiling at it one last time he hurried upstairs to the bedroom with it. He heard Cas laughing as he climbed the stairs but he didn’t care. This was the first touch he would actually be placing here, in the house he wanted to one day call home. This was an extra-special moment.

There were a couple of nails already in the walls from where pictures or paintings had hung previously and Dean was thrilled to find one positioned on the wall adjacent to the large windows. The poster would be on display but not in direct light, so it wouldn’t fade with time. He hung it on the wall, being careful to make sure that it was even before taking a step back and looking at it with pride. He was still standing there with his hands on his hips when he felt warm arms sliding around his waist from behind.

“Thanks, babe. This might very well be the best Christmas present I’ve ever received.” He leaned back against Cas and sighed contentedly.

“You’re quite welcome. I love seeing you happy like this,” Cas said. “Come downstairs and help me wrap the gifts we got today. I will get a bag from the closet to put them all in.”

He let go of Dean and moved to the closet while Dean stripped out of his coat and flannel shirt. Cas found a duffel bag he hadn’t used in a few years and pulled that out. It would fit all of their gifts and then some. Together they made their way back downstairs. 

Cas had moved the bags to the living room and Dean took both of their coats and hung them up. When he joined Cas he found the man sitting on the floor with several rolls of wrapping paper spread out around him. He was trying to remove a price sticker from a silver picture frame he had bought for Mary. Together they worked to get everything wrapped. They drank beer as they finished it up, and then neatly stacked everything inside the duffel bag. When they were done Cas pulled Dean to his feet and led him to the stairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do hope you enjoyed that. Leave a comment, let me know what you thought of it.


	11. Mind Blowing Sex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Exactly what the chapter titles says.
> 
> SMUT.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy. ;)

When Dean returned from shopping Sunday he spent over an hour on the phone with Bobby going over figures and startup costs. They haggled over necessities vs. want, and Dean decided that he would take out a loan, but first he would invest in three antique cars that he intended to completely rebuild, but first he needed to make sure Cas would let him do that here at the house. He needed to have a long talk with his boyfriend too. It wasn’t really something he was budgeting for to have to rent additional space to work on the antiques. He’d really just rather do it here where he could see Cas and be at home.

When he hung up with Bobby he went in search of Cas. He found the man in his office working on his syllabus for the new semester. Cas smiled when he walked in.

“Hi, sweetheart,” the man greeted him.

“Hey gorgeous. Do you have a couple of minutes to talk?” Dean sat down in one of the comfortable armchairs across from the desk. Cas tapped a few buttons on his laptop before closing it.

“Of course, what’s on your mind?”

“Well, I just got off the phone with Bobby. Let me be right up front and tell that I am absolutely, in no way, shape or form asking you for money. I am simply explaining what I would like to do and how I would like to do it. Ok?” Dean didn’t want Cas thinking he needed a handout. He could pay his own way, thank you very much!

Cas nodded slowly. “Ok. So what were you thinking of doing?”

“Well, I crunched numbers with Bobby and he called the old man to ask a few of the questions that I forgot to ask. The old man only wants $150 for the place. It’s a steal. He’s asking another $50 for the equipment. Some of it’s still good but some of it’s really outdated and will need to be replaced anyway. I am going to apply for a loan but I absolutely despise owing people money. It’s like a huge issue for me and I hate the interest rates that get tacked on. So what I want to do to make some money to get the loan paid off as quickly as possible is I want to rebuild a few antiques. The problem is, I don’t want to do it down at the shop. I prefer to do them on my own time and in a quiet location where people can’t bump a new paint job or knock down expensive parts I’m waiting to put in. I always did my rebuilds at Bobby’s. He owns a junkyard and his property was quiet. I worked out in the garage he didn’t use, and I was able to move as fast or as slow as I needed to. In the beginning as I was learning how to rebuild, I moved slow. Now I move a lot faster. All I have to wait on now is parts when I special order them. Herein lies my problem though. The new shop, eventually I will want to enlarge it. It comes with all the land around it and I can easily add a few more bays down the road to handle the anticipated business, but I need somewhere to work on the antiques. They’re going to be extremely valuable once they’re finished, and even before they are. Parts aren’t cheap. What I want to know is can I find a space somewhere here on the property to work on them? Maybe I can have a second garage made?”

Cas blinked in surprise. That wasn’t where he expected Dean to go with this, but it made a lot of sense. “Of course. We can have a second garage built as soon as the snow melts. How big will you need it?”

“Well, for starters, I’ll be putting three cars in it. Bobby told me he has two already waiting and they’re mine if I want them. He’ll hang on to them until I can get them out here. The third I already went looking online and found in Nebraska. I can drive down and pick it up whenever I want. It’s a widow that has it. She says there’s no rush, it’s just sitting in the garage. I have a date set up next month to go take a look at it, and if I like it, I’ll drive down and pick it up around April,” Dean replied.

“Ok, so I’ll make a few calls, see what kind of bids I get. We’ll need electric and heat run out to the garage so you’re not forced to give up over the winter, and so none of your paint or anything goes bad. I don’t know how any of that works but I have to imagine that paint won’t do well in below zero temperatures,” Cas said.

“And you’d be right. Plus those paints are not cheap. Let me know what the cost is. When all is said and done I think I can theoretically rebuild four cars this year. The fourth I’ll use to cover a chunk of the cost to build the garage.”

“In the meantime we can move some things around and if you want to work on one before the new one is finished, you can. I have a heated shed out back where I can store the yard equipment,” Cas offered. Dean sat forward and reached over the desk to take his boyfriend’s hand.

“You’re amazing, you know that?”

Cas blushed and gave one of his soft, shy smiles that Dean loved so much. “I’m just being supportive. You need space to work, and I love that you want to do it here at the house. That way even when you’re working on the antiques, I’ll still get to see you.” He stood up and came around the desk to stand in front of Dean. 

“That’s why I wanted to do it from here. I told you, I don’t want to be the kind of person that works so much they never see their family.” Dean pulled Cas around the desk and down into his lap, kissing him softly on the cheek. Cas was grinning like a fool. Dean was talking like they were a family, and it made his heart feel so full he thought it might burst. 

“What is that smile for?” Dean asked. Cas just shook his head.

“I’m happy, that’s all. I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy before.” 

Dean lifted Cas up until he had one leg on either side of his hips and the man was left straddling him. “I love you, Cas. So much.” He spoke softly as he rubbed his nose against Cas’ neck and held him closer.

“I love you too, sweetheart. Now would you do me a favor and take me to bed?” Cas asked. Dean chuckled. It was a deep, rumbling sound that sent shivers down Cas’ spine.

“I thought you were busy working on your syllabus?” Dean pulled back and looked up at him.

“Do you honestly think I could work like this?” Cas took Dean’s hand and brought it down, pressing it to the front of his jeans. He was hard and for good measure he rocked his hips forward, pushing against Dean. The heat in his boyfriend’s eyes told him that he got his point across perfectly.

Cas gasped when Dean hooked his hands under the man’s hips and stood up, lifting Cas up with him. He wrapped his legs around Dean’s waist and his arms around his neck. Dean was stronger than he had anticipated, and it was a major turn on. 

Dean was out of the office a second later, heading straight for the stairs. His mouth found Cas’, his tongue demanding entrance and groaning as he received it. Cas moaned and Dean gripped him tighter, practically flying up the stairs to the bedroom.

“I want you so bad, Cas. God I can’t get enough of your body,” Dean growled as he deposited Cas on the bed and immediately began undressing him. He paused once he had the man down to just his boxers to strip his own tee shirt off and shimmy out of his jeans. 

“I want you, Dean. Come here.” Cas pulled him closer by his hips, parting his legs so he could pull Dean closer. He was sitting on the edge of the bed with Dean standing in front of him, and it gave him ideas.

Looking up through dark lashes he saw Dean was watching him closely. He licked his lips, slowly, deliberately as he pulled Dean’s tight boxer briefs down. His fingers found the firm flesh of the man’s ass and squeezed. He leaned forward, eyes falling on the leaking cock in front of him. Dean was trembling with anticipation and Cas didn’t want to make him wait any longer. Slowly he licked a stripe up the underside of Dean’s cock, slowing even more as he toyed with the nerves right under the head. Dean’s moans turned to breathy whimpers and then a shout as Cas suddenly took him completely down in one swallow.

“S-shit!” he gasped. He looked down in wonder as Cas began to move, sucking and licking as he swallowed him down for a second time. He’d never met another person that could do this without choking after the first four inches or so. Cas pulled off, still using his tongue and lips as he kissed and licked the shaft, pausing to dip the tip of his tongue into the slit and lick up the pre-come that was beading there. Dean’s hands had found Cas’ shoulders and he hung on for dear life. When Cas’ head dipped lower to lick the sensitive skin of his sac he nearly lost it. His legs began to shake and just before they gave out Cas grabbed him and threw him on the bed. He gasped, looking up in shock as Cas dropped to his knees and pushed his legs apart. A moment later Cas’ tongue was inside him.

“O-oh s-shit! So good, baby!” he moaned as his fingers found their way into the mess of hair on Cas’ head. The things this man could do with his tongue….He’d had so many fantasies about it since first seeing him live on Skype, but nothing he had dreamed of came close to this. Cas thrust his tongue in deeper, and Dean felt his toes actually curling. He cried out and that just made Cas strive to go deeper. 

He didn’t know when Cas had grabbed the lube because his tongue never left Dean’s body, but suddenly there were warm, slick fingers sliding in around the sides of his tongue, and it took everything Dean had to not buck his hips up. This was the best thing he had ever felt. His orgasm was building fast as he was being reduced into a hot, sweaty, moaning mess. When Cas angled both his tongue and his fingers just right, rubbing the sensitive nerves inside of him, Dean screamed. The orgasm that tore through him actually made him black out for a few seconds and when he came to he found Cas on the bed, hovering over him, a worried expression on his face.

“Are you ok?” He ran his fingers through Dean’s hair, making the man sigh.

“Holy shit, that was the most intense orgasm of my life! I didn’t even know a human could come that hard!” He grinned and Cas relaxed, smiling back.

“You scared me. Did you just pass out?”

Dean felt his cheeks starting to burn a bit. “Uh, yeah, but only for a few seconds. It was intense!” Cas smiled and leaned down to press soft kisses to Dean’s jaw and throat.

“You’re the first person I ever tried that with. Since I first saw you I wanted my mouth on you. I wanted to know what you tasted like, what you felt like in my hands. It’s better than I could have imagined,” he admitted. Dean patted his shoulder and Cas sat back to allow him to climb up the bed and lay back against the pillows. Cas followed, stopping to kiss and nibble at Dean’s inner thighs, feeling how his body began to tremble again.

“I want you inside me, please.” Dean begged. Cas found the bottle of lube again and poured some on his fingers. He began to work Dean open, his ears devouring every moan and gasp that escaped his boyfriend’s lips. It didn’t take long before he had three fingers in and Dean was a hot, writhing mess under him.

“I’m ready, please!” Dean pulled gently at his hair as he tried to get Cas to come up and kiss him. 

“You sure you’re ready, darling?” Cas asked. Dean moaned loudly at the sweet name and parted his legs as much as he could. He was already hard again, his cock heavy against his belly and he stroked languidly at it. Cas wanted so badly to sit back and watch Dean jerk himself until he exploded, but his desire to sink into the tight, warm heat that he already knew he would crave for the rest of his life outweighed that thought. He pulled his fingers out and lifted Dean’s legs up, placing them on his shoulders. Green eyes locked on him, lids heavy, his expression pure desire as Cas got into position. As he pressed in, Dean’s back arched, his hand falling away from his cock as his fingers struggled to find purchase in the sheets underneath him.

“Oh…..” 

Cas moved slowly, not wanting to hurt his lover, until he was completely bottomed out. A slight jerk of Dean’s hips told him to start moving, and so he did. 

“Harder, baby, please!” Dean gasped. The moans that fell from those perfect lips was music to Cas’ ears, and it spurred him on. He increased the speed of his thrusts until he was pounding into Dean.

“Sweetheart, look at me.” His voice was firm and Dean’s eyes flew open, locking on Cas’ blue ones.

“S-so gorgeous…” Dean moaned. Already he could feel another orgasm coiling low in his belly as his cock began to leak even more. Suddenly Cas stopped, dropping Dean’s legs and pulling out.

“Turn over. Get on all fours,” he ordered. Dean hurried to do as he’d been told and a moment later Cas was sinking deep into him again. He sat back on his heels and pulled Dean up with him. Dean felt like heaven as he wrapped his arms around him and thrust up hard into him. Dean’s moans grew louder as his head lolled back, falling on Cas’ shoulder. Cas brought a hand down and gripped Dean’s cock. He slid a thumb over the head before rubbing the sensitive nerves under the head, causing Dean to shout loudly as he came for a second time. Cas worked him through his orgasm before bringing his hand up to rest his palm flat over Dean’s chest as he thrust into him, harder and faster as he felt the familiar heat beginning to build up inside of his own body. As he grew closer to it, his hips began to stutter and Dean pressed back to meet his every thrust. When he came it was with a shout as his entire body tensed. As he slowly came down from it Dean rubbed gently at the hands that were still gripping him tight.

“I had no clue sex could be this good until I met you,” Dean sighed as Cas slowly pulled out and laid Dean out on his back in the bed. He smiled down at him before reaching into the nightstand and grabbing the box of Kleenex there. He cleaned Dean up first before doing the same to himself.

“Can you walk?” Cas asked him. Dean grinned and shook his head.

“No way. My legs are like jelly. Maybe in a few minutes.”

Cas stretched out next to him, turning on his side and pressing up against Dean’s prone form. His fingers traced the freckles that spilled down Dean’s chest and he sighed contentedly.

“I’ve never had sex like this in my life. You are absolutely amazing.” He pressed soft kisses to Dean’s shoulder as he spoke.

“It’s going to be miserable when I go back to Chicago.” Dean pouted. Cas snickered and moved closer, resting his head on the man’s chest. Dean lifted an arm, wrapping it around Cas’ back and drawing him in even more.

“I hope this all moves along quickly so I can have you back here forever,” Cas sighed.

“Forever, huh?” Dean asked, his grin returning.

“For longer than that if possible.” Cas replied. He draped one arm over Dean’s stomach and gave him a squeeze. This was the man he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, of that he was positive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's going to be a bit of angst next chapter, but it's a tiny bit. So I really hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	12. Meeting Cas' Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean gets a phone call he never wanted to receive, and it infuriates Cas.
> 
> Different people stop by, and Dean ends up breaking someone's heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't get mad at me over those first couple of paragraphs. It will be alright.
> 
> Remember you love me...

Neither man knew when they had fallen asleep but the sound of a ringing phone drew them both out of a pleasant, post orgasmic slumber some time later. Dean grumbled when he realized it was his phone and he fumbled around until he located it in the back pocket of the jeans currently on the floor.

“Hello?” He didn’t even both opening his eyes as he hit accept. 

“Is this Dean Winchester?” An unfamiliar voice asked. Dean opened his eyes and pulled the phone away to look at the caller ID. It was an Illinois number, but he didn’t recognize it.

“This is, who is this?” He rubbed at his eyes and looked over at Cas who was still asleep.

“My name is Richard, Richard Roman. I believe we both know the same person, Castiel Novak,” the man said.

Dean frowned. “How do you know Cas?”

“Cas?” Richard actually seemed surprised to hear the abbreviated name. Cas stirred next to Dean as he heard his name being said.

“Who’s that?” he mumbled, lifting his head to look at the phone in Dean’s hand.

“ _Castiel_ is my boyfriend. We’re just taking some time apart at the moment,” Richard replied. There was a smug tone to his voice but it sent a jolt of fear through Dean and he sat up so fast that Cas ended up falling back.

“The fuck you are! How did you even get my number?!” Dean snapped.

“Who is that?!” Cas demanded.

“You’re _with_ Castiel?!” Richard snapped. Dean looked over at his boyfriend with a mixture of anger and hurt.

“It’s fucking _Richard Roman_ , Cas. Who the fuck is he and how does he have my number?!” 

Cas grabbed the phone before Dean could stop him.

“How DARE you! Who the hell do you think you are? You have no right to call my boyfriend! What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” The rage in those blue eyes was frightening but Dean’s mind was whirling in confusion.

“Castiel, I love you. How could you do this to me?” Richard sounded on the verge of tears but Cas knew him better than that.

“Dick, we broke up almost three years ago. I told you off the last time you texted me. This is a new low, even for you. If you ever bother me or Dean again I WILL press charges, do you understand? Now fuck off!” Cas disconnected the call and sat there glaring at the phone.

“Who is he, Cas? Why was he saying he’s your boyfriend?” Dean asked quietly. He knew it wasn’t true, but it hurt nonetheless.

“I’m sorry. Dick is the guy I dated for a couple of years, the one that put everything before me, his work, his social life, just…everything. I was done so I bought this place. I was leaving him anyway but his insults just pushed me faster to leave. I was glad to get away. He was verbally abusive, degrading, controlling, and just an all-around nasty person. Clearly he’s still trying to play his games. I’m so sorry.” Cas moved closer and Dean had to fight the urge to storm off. He was trying to process what had just happened. When he tensed Cas quickly backed off. When he looked up he could see the fear in Cas’ eyes, something he never wanted to see.

“Give me a minute? I’m trying to wrap my brain around this and why he’s even calling me. Did he think I was still back in Chicago and that I’d be easily scared off? Who does this guy think he is? And how the hell did he get my number? My staff does not give my number out to anyone. I keep a cell for customers to reach and it’s currently in my desk back at work. And my friends won’t give my number out, they know better.”

Cas’ shoulders fell and he nodded. He’d give Dean as much time as he needed. “He’s a lawyer, and a powerful one at that. He has connections and probably got a hold of my phone records. Figured out who I was talking to the most and went from there. I’m so sorry, Dean, I had no idea he’d stoop this low.” His voice was thick with emotion and Dean realized he was extremely close to crying. He held out his arms and Cas threw himself into them. “Please don’t leave me,” he whispered.

“Baby, I’m not going anywhere. Ever. But we have to deal with this. I’ll talk to Sam when we get to my parents’ house. He’s still just a law student but he should know what rights we have, and point us in the right direction. In the meantime though, we’re both changing our numbers.” Dean laid back against the pillows, pulling Cas down with him. Cas snuggled closer, his arms still wrapped tightly around the younger man.

“Do I need to be scared of this guy? Like am I going to find myself getting run off the road late at night coming home from work or get a bullet in the back of my head while I’m working on a car?” Dean asked.

“He’s an intimidating asshole, Dean, not a killer. I can’t imagine that he would want me back that bad, and besides, if he even thought of harming a single hair on your head I’d be the one killing him,” Cas said firmly.

“You don’t have to worry about me, he’s not going to scare me away, ok?” Dean reached a hand up, running it through Cas’ hair, loving how the man hummed contentedly.

“I love you, Dean. It’s easy with you, I didn’t have to force how I feel about you. You’re everything I could have ever wanted in a partner. Dick was difficult, to put it mildly. He approached me in a café one afternoon. Said he was drawn by my good looks. Asked me out. He was older than what I usually dated but he was charismatic and charming so I figured, why not? Everything with him though, I had to force. I had to talk myself into liking him, and then once we were dating regularly, I tried to convince myself that I loved him. It took a lot of self-reflection and time alone on my own to realize that what I had with him…it was never love. I-I never topped til you. He controlled that too.” Cas buried his face against Dean’s neck as his shame washed over him. 

“Hey, hey, he can’t hurt you anymore, and he sure as hell can’t control you. One of the things that attracted me to you in the first place was how strong and independent you are. He can’t take that away from you. No one can. And honey, if you hadn’t told me that little tidbit, I’d have never known. You top like a pro. Best sex I’ve ever had,” Dean purred. Cas snickered and lifted his head enough to look up at him.

“Yeah?”

“Definitely. In fact…” Dean ran a hand up Cas’ side, feeling the muscles flutter under his touch. “How does shower sex sound?” Cas sat up on one elbow, a wicked grin on his lips.

“I like the sound of that. You sure you have another round in you? I did make you come twice after all.”

“I’m in my early twenties, I definitely have another round or three in me,” Dean joked as he threw the covers back and stood up. “Last one to the shower’s not getting a blow job!” he cried.

Cas laughed as he bolted for the bathroom. No WAY was he going to be last!

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Monday morning Dean woke to find the bed empty, save for himself, and he groaned. Cas had gone to the university. With a heavy sigh he dragged himself out of bed and into the bathroom. After relieving himself he put on clean underwear and his flannel pajama pants. The house was comfortable so he decided he didn’t need a shirt, but just in case, he carried one downstairs with him.

There was a fresh pot of coffee waiting and a note from Cas:

_Made this before I left. Still hot. Enjoy! I love you. Remember, I’m running into town after the meeting to finish up some shopping. I should hopefully be home around 4. See you then. ~C_

Dean smiled and set the note aside in order to pour himself a cup of coffee. He made himself a quick breakfast before getting his laptop and cell phone. Bobby had emailed him some projected figures and Dean wanted to research the cost of advertising in this area. He found an empty notepad in Cas’ office and snagged it along with a pen before returning to the living room. He was neck deep in figures when the doorbell rang. For a moment he felt a sliver of fear at the thought that maybe that was Dick Roman standing at the door but he quickly shook it off. He set the notepad and laptop aside, slipping on his tee shirt as he went to answer the door.

“Hello Casti-” The woman at the door’s greeting fell away as soon as she realized it was not Cas answering the door. “Oh, I’m sorry, is Castiel here?” She was peering over Dean’s shoulder, clearly looking for Cas.

“No, he’s at work. Can I help you?” Dean offered his politest smile and tentatively she smiled back at him.

“Oh, no, I was just looking for Castiel. I have a gift for him.” Dean noticed the small bundle in her gloved hands. It was some kind of gift wrapped home baked good. 

“Would you like me to give it to him?” He held out a hand but she clutched the package tighter.

“No, that’s ok. I’ll just come by later with it. Are…you his brother Gabriel?” she asked.

Dean licked his lower lip before smiling a little wider. “No ma’am, Cas is my boyfriend. I’ll be living here. His brother should be at the university with him.”

Her eyes widened and the expression of shock that spread across her face would have almost been comical had he not seen the hurt and disbelief there too.

“Did you say boyfriend?”

Dean’s expression turned sympathetic. “Yes ma’am.” She looked down sadly at the package in her hands before thrusting it out at him.

“You can go ahead and give this to him. Tell him Daphne said hi.” She turned to go but stopped and looked back at him. “You’re a lucky man…”

“Dean,” he said.

“…Dean. Castiel is a wonderful man. I-I didn’t realize…” She pressed her lips together tightly for a moment before offering him another small smile. “Merry Christmas, Dean. To you both.”

“Thank you, Daphne. Merry Christmas to you as well.” He watched as she climbed back down the steps and got into a blue pickup truck. When she had pulled out onto the main road he closed the door and carried the bread to the kitchen, leaving it on the counter by the stove. It smelled of cinnamon and pumpkin. When he returned to the living room he picked up his phone and sent Cas a text.

Dean: Hey babe, you just had a visitor. Daphne says hi. She brought you some kind of bread. I think I might have broken her heart though.

It was almost thirty minutes before Cas finally texted back. Dean was back running numbers when his phone chimed with the notification. He picked up the phone and opened the message.

Cas: Oh Lord. Yeah, sorry about her. She has been trying to charm me since I moved out here. Obviously I was never interested but she doesn’t take a hint well. I felt it was rude to just shout “I’m GAY!” in her face, though perhaps that was what she needed to hear. I hope she wasn’t rude?

Dean: No, she wasn’t rude. Crestfallen when I told her I was your boyfriend and that I’ll be living here, but she remained polite. I left the gift in the kitchen.

Cas: It’s a bread, I’m sure. She made me a ton this year alone, though I’m sure that will stop now.

Dean: I’ll make you breads if you want them. The one she brought smells good, like pumpkin. I have a killer pumpkin bread recipe, and next summer I want to plant some squash so we can really make it from scratch. I told you, allergies, so I cook and bake from scratch.

Cas: That sounds fantastic. I love pumpkin bread.

Dean: You may regret saying that, lol.

Cas: Never, I'll just go running more. Hey, I have an issue and I’m not sure how you’ll feel about it.

Dean frowned. What kind of issue could be talking about?

Dean: You won’t know unless you run if by me.

Cas: When we go to Kansas, my brother will be alone for Christmas. I sort of feel bad about that. I don’t want to leave him with Balthazar, they don’t exactly get along. Could we maybe bring him along? I can spring for a hotel so he’s not at the house.

Dean: Nah, there’s room. He can sleep on the sofa bed in the den. I’ll call my mom and let her know. She’s pretty cool about it.

Cas: God I love you so much. I just felt like such a heel leaving him behind.

Dean: He’s family, of course he’ll be welcome.

Cas: I’ll let him know. I have to go, I’m meeting with the head of the Biology department here in a few minutes. He wants to discuss the possibility of starting a course based on my book! And I would teach it. I’m excited!

Dean: That’s fantastic! I’m excited for you! I need to go brag to Charlie now about that.

Cas: We’re just talking for the moment, lol.

Dean: You’ve got this, babe. I have faith in you.

Cas: Thank you, sweetheart. Remember, I’m going shopping after work. I should be home in time for dinner.

Dean: I’ll start cooking it around three, how does that sound?

Cas: Can’t wait. See you soon.

Dean: I love you.

Cas: I love you too.

Dean shot a quick text to Charlie to tell her the news, and then decided to send one to Sam too. It was a while before either responded but he got a thumbs up from them both. Yeah, Charlie totally fit into his family. Setting the phone aside again he went back to crunching numbers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Dean was halfway through prepping dinner when the front door opened. He heard multiple voices and then the sound of Cas laughing. He stepped into the hall to see Cas, Gabe, and a woman he didn’t recognize taking off their coats and shaking snow out of their hair by the door. When Cas spotted him he smiled brightly.

“Dean! Come here, I want you to meet April. She teaches sociology at the university. April, this is my boyfriend, Dean.” 

Dean stepped closer, smiling and holding out his hand. “Pleasure to meet you, April.” He smiled politely and she smiled as she shook his hand.

“Nice to finally meet you too. I’ve only seen a couple of pictures and listened to Cas talk about you for months now. When he said you were finally here I insisted on coming to meet you,” she said.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know he was bringing anyone home, otherwise I’d have made more food. I can go and make something else though.” He looked to Cas who held up a hand.

“It’s my fault. I texted you, but when you didn’t respond I should have realized you probably didn’t have your phone on you. It’s ok, I’ll make something to accompany our food. I don’t usually do this, so please don’t be upset.” He looked up worriedly at Dean.

“Babe, I’m not mad. Dinner’s in the oven now. I made a spinach and ricotta lasagna, but there are chicken breasts thawing in the fridge for dinner Thursday, and I have a homemade pot of chicken noodle soup in the crock pot. It’s done, I was going to freeze some so you don’t have to cook when you get back here after we leave my parents.” Dean pulled Cas close and kissed the top of his head.

“You are very thoughtful,” Gabe said. At first Dean thought he was teasing but his expression was sincere.

“I like to keep busy, and when I’m not working on cars I like to be in the kitchen. I’m actually going to prep a couple weeks’ worth of meals for Cas,” Dean explained.

“Well, I’d like to try the soup if that’s ok,” April said.

“Of course. I’ll go check on the lasagna now.” Dean left to go back to the kitchen, and April leaned close so only Cas and Gabe could hear her.

“He’s hot! And oh my God, he cooks?” Cas chuckled and directed his friend and brother to the living room.

“Yes, he does, and Cassie here is lucky because he’s finally found someone that actually wants to spoil and take care of him. Doesn’t hurt that his boyfriend looks like a Greek God either.” Gabe waggled his eyebrows, which made Cas roll his eyes and April started giggling.

“Cas, I’m going to go upstairs and change. I’ve just been lounging in my pajamas today. I’ll be back in a few,” Dean said.

“You don’t have to get dressed on our account,” Gabe said.

“I find it’s rude. It’s the way I was raised. I’ll be down in a couple of minutes.” They could hear Dean’s footsteps as he climbed the stairs.

“Is he good in bed? I’m dying to know,” April asked, her expression full of eager excitement.

“April…” Cas groaned and rolled his eyes. She punched him lightly in the arm.

“Come on! We’re dying to know!” 

He glanced back towards the stairs before looking at his friend and brother. “This stays between us, understand?” Both April and Gabe nodded eagerly.

“It’s the best sex I’ve ever had. He’s absolutely amazing. I swear I don’t know how I’m even able to walk afterwards.” Cas was smug but he felt he had every reason to be.

“You lucky bastard!” April punched him again which made him laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Dean walked in the room and the laugh died on Cas’ lips as he took in the sight of his boyfriend. Dressed in nothing but low-slung jeans and his new AC/DC shirt, Dean was gorgeous.

“Apparently my baby brother’s reaction to your choice of clothing is what’s funny now,” Gabe said with an amused chuckle. Dean grinned and sat down on the other side of Cas.

“I like that shirt on you,” Cas murmured against his ear so only Dean could hear him.

“Well, it’s staying here til I get back. You can wear it if you want.” Dean placed a hand on Cas’ thigh and squeezed gently as he leaned into the man. Cas put his arm around him and smiled.

“No, I think I much prefer it on you,” he said a little louder.

“Only because you want to take it off him later,” Gabe quipped. 

“Well that’s none of your business now is it?” Cas looked at his brother with one eyebrow raised and Gabe just snickered.

“So….got any siblings as hot as you, Dean-o?” he asked.

“I only have a younger brother. And I hate to break it to you, but he’s straight,” Dean replied with mock remorse.

“You sure about that? I can be pretty persuasive.” Gabe wiggled his eyebrows, which made April start giggling.

“Yeah….he just turned twenty one. You need to back up there,” Dean laughed.

“Darn.” Gabe snapped his fingers.

The timer on the oven went off and Dean got up to check on the food. He was just pulling the lasagna out of the oven when he felt a hand slide across his lower back and then down to cup his ass.

“That better be you, Cas.” He laughed as he stood up with the dish in his hands.

“Anyone else touches you and they’ll lose fingers.” Cas waited until he’d put the dish down before wrapping his arms around the man from behind.

“Anyone else touches me, and I’ll personally break more than just their fingers.” Dean turned his head as Cas rested his chin on the man’s shoulder and planted a kiss on his cheek. “Help me set the table?”

Reluctantly Cas let him go and moved over to the cabinet with the bowls, taking down two for their guests. Gabe and April made their way into the kitchen and helped with moving everything to the table. 

“So do you only teach Sociology?” Dean asked April as they all sat down to eat.

“No, I teach Psychology and Sociology, but I taught a European History class last semester after another professor went on maternity leave.” She was blowing on a spoonful of the soup Cas had dished out for her. As she put it in her mouth she moaned. “Oh, wow, this is homemade? This is fabulous! Please tell me you’ll share the recipe!” Cas got up from the table and went to fish another bowl out of the cabinet.

“What are you doing?” Dean asked him.

“If she’s making noises like that I want to try it,” Cas replied. Everyone at the table laughed. He poured a ladle full of the soup into his bowl and returned to the table. He took a bite of his lasagna as waited for the soup to cool down.

“This is fabulous, babe. And there’s no meat in here at all?” Cas lifted up a few layers of the pasta but didn’t see any meat.

“I didn’t want to have to go to town just yet for more meat, so I went with what was on hand. I actually made two. The other one I had already popped in the freezer though,” Dean told him.

“I love it. You really are an amazing cook,” Cas said. Dean preened a bit under his praise before looking over at Gabe. To his surprise the man had already finished off his entire bowl as well as the piece of French bread Dean had served with it.

“That was easily the best soup I’ve ever had, sorry Cassie.” Gabe looked at his brother, who pulled his own bowl closer. He took a bite and groaned.

“This is fantastic!” 

“It’s just soup. I used what vegetables you still had. Most of it was frozen. It’ll taste better when the vegetables come fresh out of the garden,” Dean replied.

“Dean here does canning. So we can actually grow a lot more vegetables, and maybe even some fruits, and I won’t be in a rush to eat them all before they go bad,” Cas told his brother.

“Good. You sent me home with a dozen zucchini last summer, and I had no idea what to do with them. My neighbor showed me how to sauté them and I made like a dozen loaves of zucchini bread. I can’t bake for shit.” Gabe laughed.

“I make a killer zucchini bread. I’ll make you some when it’s in season,” Dean offered.

“I love you already,” Gabe said, grinning.

They finished their dinner and Cas saw his brother and April out while Dean loaded the dishwasher. 

“I’m sorry, honey. It was a last minute decision for them to come back here. We went shopping after we left work, and I did try to text you to ask if it was ok,” Cas said as he walked back in the kitchen. He crossed the room to pull Dean into his arms.

“It’s cool, I have random people show up all the time at my place. Remember, Charlie’s girlfriend is a near permanent fixture at my place. And the guys from work sometimes come over to watch a movie or play poker or whatever, and I learned to cook on the fly. I really was making the soup for you so you’d have lunch for a while. It won’t last you til I get back, but it will at least make it so you don’t have to do as much cooking for a while.” Dean reached his hands up to run them through Cas’ hair.

“And I appreciate that more than you could ever know, though what I really want is for you to be here already. I got you something today,” Cas told him. Dean cocked his head.

“I thought you were waiting til Christmas?”

“Not for this.” Cas stepped back and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a set of keys and laid them in Dean’s hand.

“Wow, Cas…” Dean looked at the keys for a moment before turning his attention back to Cas. “Thank you. I don’t think anyone has ever given me the key to their place before.” He swallowed hard, trying to clear the lump in his throat.

“Our place, Dean. This is your home too.” Cas pulled him close and kissed him.

“I…made dessert too. I forgot about it til now, got a little distracted with company and all.” Dean went to the microwave and opened it. Cas gasped when he saw the plate inside. It was piled high with cookies.

“You made these? From scratch?” Cas asked as he grabbed one.

“Yep. My mom’s recipe.” Dean confirmed. He watched as Cas took a bite.

“Oh God these are good! What are these?”

“You’ve never had a Snickerdoodle before?” Dean was surprised to hear that. Cas shook his head as he finished off the cookie and reached for another one.

“No, I didn’t get a lot of sweets growing up, and once I moved in with Gabe he was all about the candy. We hardly ever had cookies, unless you count tubes upon tubes of premade chocolate chip cookie dough. I made sugar cookies one year for Christmas but you could have chipped your tooth on them, they were terrible. I stick to cooking. What is this, cinnamon and sugar on top?” He eyed the cookie before taking a bite. 

“You roll the dough balls in a cinnamon and sugar mixture. They’re one of my favorites. Wait til I make you pumpkin cookies. You’ll be in absolute heaven. I think I’ll whip some of those up when we get to my mom’s. If I make them now you’ll gain twenty pounds because you’ll want to eat them all.” Dean laughed and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend’s waist. As Cas ate the cookie Dean buried his nose in the man’s neck, inhaling the perfect scent he had already memorized, the one that was a mixture of clean skin and aftershave, except now it mixed pleasantly with the smell of cinnamon. He sighed and closed his eyes, content to stand like this forever if Cas would let him.

“Your intentions are to fatten me up, eh?” Cas asked teasingly. Dean chuckled and kissed the man’s neck.

“No, I just like cooking and baking, but what I like even more is when there are people that truly appreciate it and enjoy it. When I was a kid this time of year was all about baking with my mom. We’d make tons of cookies and then give them to friends and neighbors as gifts. We didn’t have a lot of money so we couldn’t go giving presents. She taught me that anything made with your own two hands was infinitely more valuable than things that you can spend money on.”

“Wow, that’s…beautiful. I think I will like your mother very much. Do you think she’ll let me help bake? I’d love to try my hand at making cookies from scratch.” Cas closed the microwave door to avoid the urge to grab a third one.

“I’m sure she will. The only person she really doesn’t let in the kitchen is Sam. Kid’s twenty one and still can’t cook to save his life.” Dean laughed lightly as he pulled Cas closer. “How was work? When do you go back? How long is your winter break?”

“I go back on the fifth. Semester ends in May, and I was thinking about some things.” Cas pulled back and took Dean’s hand, leading him into the living room where they sat down together on the couch.

“About what?” Dean asked once they were settled. He curled his legs up under him and moved closer, letting Cas wrap an arm around his shoulder.

“I talked to the dean about taking off the summer semester. The summer is usually dead anyway, not nearly as many students, and though it would be an ideal time for horticulture, I’d be lucky to have them be able to fill a single class up. My next book will have been submitted by then, and I can concentrate on things here for a few months. I-I would like to see Chicago and help you move down here. Unless I’d just be in the way, or you think I’m suffocating you.” Cas was worried about overstepping boundaries, but the beautiful smile on his boyfriend’s face eased his mind quickly.

“Well, I was hoping to be down here before May. As soon as I get home I’ll start packing. I talked to Charlie last night and she says she’s going to take the next step with Dorothy. Her girlfriend is going to officially move in, and if they feel later that they need another roommate, they’ll rent out my room. I want to get Benny prepared to take over as soon as possible. And once I buy this place, I’ll have payments to make on it, so I need to get it up and running again as soon as possible. As soon as I close the deal I’ll put out an ad for mechanics. I can do most of the shop remodeling myself, but I need a good staff working under me so I can concentrate on that.” Dean slowly untucked Cas’ shirt as he talked, running his fingers over the smooth skin beneath. He needed the skin on skin contact and the way the muscles twitched under his gentle caress told him Cas needed it too.

“So how long are we talking? I can get Gabe to help too. I just want you here already.” Cas knew he sounded much too pouty for a man nearing thirty, but he didn’t care. He just wanted Dean there with him, permanently.

“This is what I am thinking. After we spend the week with my folks I’ll head back to Chicago and between Bobby and me, we’ll get Benny up to speed. He’s been my right hand man for years now so it won’t take a lot. Once he’s ready and I’m sure we’re fully staffed, I can rent the moving truck and bring everything out here. I’ll get my brother to come help because I’ll need a second truck to haul the cars I need to put in the garage. I’m aiming for no later than April. I want to take April and May to get the shop updated, get new hires trained, and let everyone around here know that I’m taking over. Some people don’t do well with change, and for some unknown strangers to come waltzing in from Chicago to take the place over, it may rub some of them the wrong way. So I want to sort of establish myself a bit here before I open shop. If you still want to take off the summer semester I could use the help to get that place updated. Painting, laying down new flooring, waterproofing the garage, installing the new computers, stuff like that. And if Gabe helps too, it’ll go much faster. I might actually be able to open in time for summer.” Dean had so many plans for the shop, but it depended on the place actually being successful.

“I’ll help with anything you want or need,” Cas told him. Dean slid his hand up higher under Cas’ dress shirt, grazing his fingers over one nipple. The man hissed at the sensation.

“ _Anything_ I want or need?” Dean asked, tilting his head so that he was peering up through his long lashes. Cas felt the heat flaring in his gut and he reached out, grabbing Dean and pulling him into his lap.

“Anything,” He emphasized, nipping at the tender skin of Dean’s neck, feeling it as well as hearing it when the man moaned. “God I love you dressed like this. These jeans…” He gripped Dean’s ass and pulled him down so he could grind against him. “They should be a sin with how good you look in them.” 

Dean worked the buttons open on Cas’ shirt and pushed it aside. He ran his hands over the smooth expanse of skin before lowering his mouth to kiss and nibble along Cas’ collarbone. He left small marks behind, smiling as he looked at them. Cas was his. He wanted to leave marks where everyone could see them but he didn’t think his mother would approve, so he moved lower, sucking at the sensitive bud of one nipple and leaving a mark just above it. Cas pulled him back up and into a kiss that told Dean how much he wanted him. He reached for the zipper on his boyfriend’s jeans just as the doorbell rang.

“Fuck!” Cas hissed. Dean kissed his cheek before climbing off his lap.

“I’ll get it, you just wait right there for me.” He winked before giving himself a slight adjustment and heading for the door. 

“I swear I’m never this popular. No one but Gabe or Bal ever visit me,” Cas called out, and Dean grinned. When he got to the door he pulled it open. Standing on the porch was a dark-haired woman.

“Can I help you?” He asked. A sly smile appeared on her lips as she looked him over. Her eyes lingered a little too long on his hips and crotch before coming back up to look at his face.

“Well, well, well. This is interesting. Where’s Clarence?” she asked.

“Who’s Clarence?” Dean asked, confused.

“Castiel, gorgeous. Is he home?” She leaned against the doorframe and crossed her arms. Her eyes were still devouring him and it made him uncomfortable. The only person he liked having look at him like that was Cas.

“Cas!” he called over his shoulder. There was a grunt and some mumbling before Cas appeared. He was tucking his re-buttoned shirt in. There was a look of annoyance on his face that instantly morphed into one of surprise when he saw the woman at the door.

“Meg? What are you doing here?” He asked as he joined Dean at the door.

“I was passing through, thought I’d stop by and give you this.” She pulled a small, gift wrapped box from her pocket and held it out.

“Well come in, it’s freezing and you’re letting all the heat out.” He grabbed her wrist instead of the box and pulled her inside while Dean shut the door.

“Dean, this is my publicist, Meg. Meg, this is my boyfriend, Dean,” Cas introduced. 

“Nice to meet you,” Dean said, though he wasn’t sure if it really was. She gave a smirk as she looked him over again.

“I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone, Clarence. You have excellent taste.” Her smile was downright wicked but all Cas did was roll his eyes. He seemed amused so Dean decided to let it slide. She turned her attention to Cas and held out the box again.

“Thank you,” he said as he accepted it. 

“I’m on a layover. My flight is at midnight so I rented a car and came up here. I wanted to say hi, give you that, and ask how the next book is coming along,” she told him.

“Book is almost finished. I’ll have it to you soon,” he murmured as he unwrapped the present. His eyes widened when he opened the box and saw a watch inside of it. It wasn’t a cheap one either.

“Meg, this is too much, you didn’t have to do this.” He touched the face of the watch and looked up at her, the gratitude apparent in his expression.

“Of course I did. You’re a fabulous author and much too humble. Do me the honor of wearing it on your next book tour.” She reached out to straighten the collar on his shirt and smiled fondly at him.

“I have a gift for you too, I was going to send it after Christmas when I knew you’d be back at your apartment but since you’re already here, I can just save myself a few bucks.” He handed the box to Dean and went to the front hall closet. 

“Where are you traveling from?” Dean asked, trying to make small talk.

“I’m based in New York City. I’m on my way to California to meet with a client,” she replied. Cas returned with a gift wrapped box and handed it to her. She smiled brightly as she took it and tore into the paper.

“Oh what did you get me this time, Clarence…” She tore the paper off and he took it from her so it didn’t land on the floor. When she opened the box she let out a small gasp.

“Oh, this is that one I wanted, isn’t it? It’s beautiful!” Gently she removed the sweater inside of the box and Cas took the box so she could really look at it. 

“I’m glad you like it. I remembered you saying you liked it, so I hunted around until I found it. You’re going to look beautiful in it,” he told her. She leaned up to kiss him on the cheek before turning her attention back to the sweater. It was cashmere and incredibly soft. She ran a hand over the material, a warm smile on her lips.

“I’m going to wear this to my parent’s house for Christmas. Thank you so much.” 

“Do you have to leave right away or would you like something to eat?” Dean asked. She looked up at him, one eyebrow arched. 

“I ate, but thank you for the offer, and I do have to get going actually. I have to drive all the way to Butte to get to the airport. But I will be emailing you, Clarence.” She turned her dark brown eyes on Cas again and he nodded.

“Of course. I want to see pictures of you in that.” He nodded towards the sweater. She took back the box and slipped the sweater back inside of it.

“Of course. You enjoy your holidays.” She gave Cas one last kiss on the cheek before heading for the door again. Dean opened it to let her out but she paused to look at him again.

“I want to hear details on this, Clarence.” She gave Cas a wicked grin that made him blush.

“Goodbye, Meg,” he said. She blew him a kiss and winked at Dean before leaving.

“Well she’s interesting.” Dean chuckled as he closed the door again.

“I should have expected she’d stop through here. She does a couple of times each year. She stopped through when I was still in Illinois, and she’s been here twice now. Never stays long, just passes through.” Cas stretched and Dean walked over, handing him the box with the watch.

“That’s a very nice timepiece. Do all authors get such nice gifts?” he asked. He had no idea what type of relationship authors were supposed to have with their publicists.

“The good ones that have good relationships with their publicists do. Meg and I hit it off the moment we first met. I’ve known her close to four years now, and she’s really become one of my best friends. I’m going to get an earful later for not telling her about you, but I also haven’t talked to her in months. I’m sure her generosity has a lot to do with the fact that I’m making her a small fortune too.” Cas chuckled. He opened the box and looked at the watch again. It was expensive and rather extravagant. Not something he would wear every day, that was for sure. It was going in the safe in his closet just for good measure. He looked up at Dean, who was standing with his hands in the pockets of his jeans, causing them to ride even lower on his hips.

“Now, where were we before we were interrupted?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yes, Cas has friends, and Dean is slowly meeting them. I hope you liked the chapter. I watched the season premiere of SPN tonight and I'm still trying to process everything. I won't give away spoilers, I'm better than that!
> 
> Leave a comment, let me know what you think.


	13. "I Love Your Ass, Babe"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shower sex, and the University's staff party. Cas confides something to his brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter handles a few other issues. If you're not keeping up, they've been talking since May (it's December), an formally "dating" since August, but all know they've been exclusive since the moment they found each other online.
> 
> Enjoy the chapter. Just the right amout of smut in the beginning and then enoug fluff to tuck you in to bed with so you have warm, fuzzy feels for the rest of the night.

Dean spent the rest of the week familiarizing himself with the house and the property in general. He found online seed catalogs and placed an order that would arrive in the spring and made several trips out to the greenhouse to measure the space and determine what they could actually grow in abundance. He turned out to be better at making use of every square foot than Cas was, and he worked out a plan for a garden that would yield at least ten times what Cas had grown that year.

When he wasn’t in the house or the greenhouse, Dean was out in the barn. More than once Cas went looking for him only to find him in the barn giving the horses treats and stroking their heads as he talked softly to them. Both horses seemed as taken with the handsome green-eyed man as Cas himself was, and that made him incredibly happy. On days when it wasn’t snowing they even took the horses out for short rides, and that was how Dean was learning where the property lines were. He explained to Cas that he wanted to grow some vegetables outside, such as pumpkins and other gourds, and explained the benefits of creating a compost bin. Cas was on board and thrilled to find his boyfriend shared his concern for the environment. When they weren’t discussing the garden or the property, they were inside, wrapped in each other’s arms, having the best sex of their lives. 

By the time Friday rolled around they were so comfortable with one another it was as though they had always lived together, and Cas was absolutely certain this was the man he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Dean had negotiated with Darnell and found the man really just wanted to retire and relax more than he wanted to make a real profit, so the first offer that Dean made, he fully expected the old man to refuse it. It was low and if he’d even considered offering something that low in Chicago he’d have been laughed right out of the place, but Darnell actually seemed grateful and accepted it immediately. Dean called Bobby to tell him the news and the man arranged for their lawyer to fly out there to finalize all the paperwork and pay Darnell. 

Cas jumped in the shower while Dean finished up another phone call with Bobby and by the time he got off the phone Cas was just walking into the bedroom. He was wearing nothing but a towel slung low across his narrow hips and it made Dean’s cock throb to see him like that, but they had someplace to be, and he needed a shower of his own. He stopped to kiss Cas as he went past, heading for the bathroom.

“What was that for?” Cas asked, smiling.

“You’re incredibly sexy, and I want so badly for you to just pound me into the mattress, but you still need to shave and I need a shower. You’re mine tonight though.” Dean winked as he ducked into the bathroom. He stripped down, tossing his clothes in the hamper before turning the water on. It didn’t take long for it to warm up and soon he was standing under the stream as he worked shampoo through his hair. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt cool fingers slide across his belly and a moment later a firm body was pressed against his own. He rinsed the shampoo out of his hair and looked down to find Cas standing there. 

“And what, pray tell, are you doing in here, gorgeous?” 

Cas didn’t bother with words. He pulled Dean to him, their lips meeting in a hungry kiss. Dean moaned and grabbed the shorter man’s hips, turning them both so that he had Cas pressed back against the wall. Cas’ arms went up around his neck as Dean thrust his hips forward, letting loose with a heavy moan of his own at the sweet friction between them as their wet cocks slid against one another.

“This is going to make it difficult to have you pounding me into the mattress later, babe,” Dean said as he moved his mouth away from Cas’ and began kissing and sucking gently at the skin of Cas’ jaw and throat.

“I thought about that. And I want to ride you so fucking hard later that you won’t be able to walk tomorrow, but I need you now, Dean.” Cas’ voice was deep, full of need, and it had Dean aching for him. Gently Cas pushed him back, keeping his eyes locked on Dean’s, he turned his back to him.

“W-what are you doing?” Dean asked, his eyes drifting down the smooth skin of his back until they fell upon the firm, round curve of his ass. Cas reached back, finding Dean’s hands and pulling him close so he could grind back against him. “F-fuck!” Dean’s head dropped to Cas’ shoulder as a wave of pleasure washed over him at the new friction.

“This time, I want you inside me. Please,” Cas asked softly. Dean grabbed the man’s hips and ground harder against his ass, moaning again at how good it felt.

“You’re sure?” Dean asked as he kissed Cas’ neck.

“God I want it so bad. I want you inside me, filling me up, darling. I want you to fuck me like our lives depend on it.” Cas pressed back again and Dean shuddered. He wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. In truth, while he loved bottoming, he’d been dying to know what it would feel like to be inside of Cas for a change. He reached for the bottle of lube they had decided would just remain in the shower for moments like this and after pushing the shower head so the water would fall behind them rather than on them, he poured a generous amount on his fingers. After nudging Cas’ thighs apart he went to work, opening him slowly, being careful not to hurt the man he loved. Cas had his hands on the back of the shower wall and his legs parted while Dean worked him open. He was now up to three fingers, brushing against Cas’ prostate now and again, just to hear him cry out. Cas opened easier than he had expected and soon he was pulling his fingers out and sliding his cock in.

“Ohhhh…fuuuuckkkk…..,” he moaned when he had finally bottomed out. Cas was tight and oh so hot. He felt absolutely perfect. Dean wanted to be as close to Cas as possible so as his hips began to thrust, he wrapped his arms around the other man, pulling him back against his chest as he slammed into him over and over. It wasn’t long before he was feeling his orgasm building and at Cas’ urging he increased his pace. He knew he was hitting Cas’ prostate on every thrust by the way the man was screaming and clawing at the wall. He’d never heard him so vocal before but he loved it.

“You like that, baby? You like it when I ride you hard?” he purred in Cas’ ear. 

“Yes! Please! God it feels so good!” Cas cried. Dean reached down to start stroking him and it took only another sixty seconds or so before Cas was coming with the loudest scream of all escaping his lips. Dean worked him through it before redoubling his efforts and chasing after his own orgasm. It was only a few more thrusts before he was filling Cas up. 

“That was amazing, babe. Thank you.” Dean kissed his boyfriend’s shoulder and then his neck. Cas’ head turned to allow him the access he wanted as he slowly pulled out.

“I agree, that was fantastic. You don’t need to thank me. I wanted it, and I knew you’d be gentle where I needed you to be. We’re definitely doing that again at some point.” Cas turned around and pulled Dean in for another kiss. There was no frantic need to it this time so they took their time, tongues lazily sliding over each other’s as Dean’s hands found their way down to Cas’ ass and cupped it.

“I am absolutely in love with your ass, babe. It’s perfect,” he said as he kissed his way down Cas’ neck and then back up until he reached that spot behind his ear that was usually like an on switch for the man. Cas gasped as he nipped lightly at it, long fingers digging into his shoulders as he cried out.

“S-stop or we’re going to be even more late than we already are!” Cas admonished. Dean chuckled and pulled back enough to give him one more soft kiss on the lips. The water was starting to get cold so he gave his hair one last rinse to be sure he’d gotten all of the shampoo out before rinsing both himself and Cas off. 

After they both did a quick shave they went back into the bedroom. Cas went to the dresser to pick up the underwear he had abandoned in favor or jumping into Dean’s shower and he slid them on. He had switched from regular boxers to boxer briefs and boy was Dean ever happy about that! Dean shook his head and went to his own drawer where he pulled out a black pair of his own. He put them on and headed to the closet.

“So I’m dying to see what you’re planning to wear tonight,” Cas said, joining him at the open closet.

“Charlie made me bring it. If it’s too much I can leave the jacket in the car.” Dean took the bag with his suit inside of it and carried it over to the bed. Cas reached in to pick through his own suits, but he stopped and gasped when he saw the one Dean had brought with.

“Wow, you are going to be so hot in that!” Cas watched as Dean slid the pants on and then put on the shirt. His fingers moved swiftly to button it and it was clear to Cas that the man was familiar with this particular suit. As he slid the jacket on Cas crossed the room and checked the label on the inside.

“Armani? Holy shit! I don’t even have a suit this nice!” 

Dean frowned and looked down at his clothes, suddenly self-conscious. “Am I overdressing? Should I just wear jeans? I thought we had to dress up.”

“No, sweetheart, you look fantastic. I need to reevaluate my wardrobe though.” Cas laughed and headed back to the closet. Dean followed, reaching past him to pick a gray suit out. 

“Let me see you in this.” 

Cas accepted the suit and quickly dressed.

“I like that. Did you have it specially tailored?” Dean asked. Cas nodded.

“Yes. I wore this to a book signing last year. Meg took me to get fitted for it. I got it at The Men’s Warehouse.” He was embarrassed by that.

“Hey, stop. You look gorgeous no matter what you put on. I swear you could put on a burlap bag and still be sexy, so don’t worry about where your suit came from. If it’s that important I’ll either donate this one or buy you one. Clothes don’t matter to me, babe, unless of course they’re one of my vintage band tees. You know how much I love those.” Dean gave him a flirty grin and Cas couldn’t help but smile back.

“Alright, fine, I’ll wear this.”

“Good. And I want to walk a few feet behind you all night because the view is absolutely superb.” Dean winked, making Cas burst out laughing. 

“You’re awful, you know that?”

“But you love me.” Dean pointed a finger at him as he went to the closet to fish his dress shoes and socks out of his suitcase.

“Yes, I do, very much.” Cas found his own shoes and socks and put them on. He decided on a red tie since it was a Christmas party, but for the life of him he couldn’t get the knot right.

“Oh, babe, no.” Dean laughed softly as he pulled Cas closer. He undid the knot and quickly fixed it. He smoothed it down and tucked it into Cas’ jacket.

“Thank you. I’ve never been any good with ties,” Cas admitted as he went to the bathroom to check on his hair. He grunted when, after brushing it, it still wouldn’t lay flat. Dean joined him at the sink. Cas noticed he had a bottle of gel in his hands. 

“I don’t know why you fuss over your hair so much, it’s one of the sexiest things about you. The first thing I thought when you sent me that picture of you sitting on the front steps was how badly I wanted to run my fingers through it.” Dean poured a bit of the gel into his hands.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Cas asked when Dean reached over to run wet fingers through his hair instead of putting the gel in his own locks.

“Styling your hair.” Dean murmured as he managed to tame the wild locks down. “I don’t like it as much but if it makes you happy, I don’t mind helping.” 

Cas pulled his hands away and turned to look at him. “Leave it. I gave up ages ago trying to keep it under control. In my late teens I tried a buzz cut. I don’t recommend that to anyone. I looked like a moron.” Dean smirked.

“I can’t say I ever want to see you in a buzz cut, but I doubt you looked like a moron.” Cas rolled his eyes and walked out of the bathroom. Dean took a bit more gel and quickly styled his own hair before walking back into the bedroom. Cas was walking towards him with a photo album. He had it open to a page and turned it so Dean could see it. He snorted as he took in the picture Cas was pointing to.

“Oh…man…,” he laughed. “Yours isn’t that bad, but is Gabe actually sporting a _mullet_?”

Cas looked at the picture again and laughed. “Yes, he thought it was coming back into style so he grew out the back, but then he shaved the sides after this so he had a Mohawk.” He turned the page and pointed to another picture and this one had Dean cracking up laughing.

“Oh man….” He wiped a tear from his eye and shook his head. “Glad he outgrew that phase!” Cas took the book back and closed it before returning it to a shelf in the closet.

“Come on, we’re already late. I’ll show you more pictures later if you want.”

“Yes I want!” Dean said as he followed Cas out of the room. When they got down to the front door Cas opened it a crack to look out.

“Ok, we won’t ruin our shoes walking to the car. The university plows all the parking lots so we’ll be ok there too.”

Dean shrugged his coat on before grabbing Cas’ coat and helping him into it.

“Why thank you,” Cas beamed up at him.

“You’re welcome.” Dean kissed his forehead softly before they headed out to the truck Cas had left parked in the drive. They got in and Dean was surprised to find it was already warmed up.

“Remote start. It’s a lifesaver up here,” Cas said as he started the truck. Dean was making mental notes. Maybe installing a remote start in Baby would be a good idea. For sure he was putting one in his truck when he got it!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cas parked near one of the auditoriums and as they started towards the doors he reached out and took Dean’s hand. If there was one thing he was certain of it was that he was going to have the best dressed, most attractive date at this event. That made him just a bit smug. They walked down the hall, following the sound of Christmas music to the actual auditorium. Dean had not expected there to be quite this many people, or to see quite so many red or green dresses. At least the men were mostly in suits, though many had Christmas or holiday themed ties. He was glad he had opted for a simple black one. Cas took their coats and went to check them in so Dean wandered over to a set of tables that held various drinks and food choices.

“Dean-o!” 

Dean recognized Gabe’s voice and turned to see the man making his way over with April. She was dressed in a deep-red dress while Gabe was wearing a chocolate brown suit with a deep red shirt. The icing on the outfit was the fact that he was wearing a bowtie.

“Hi.” Dean smiled and nodded at the two of them.

“Where’s Cas?” April asked.

“Checking our coats,” Dean replied.

“You look really sharp there, Dean. Nice suit,” Gabe said as he appraised it.

“Thank you, but don’t say that in front of Cas. He doesn’t think he looks good in his, and he looks amazing,” Dean told him. Gabe frowned.

“He really has to stop that. Our folks beat him down emotionally when we were kids. It took him a long time to recover from that. If you’d met him ten years ago, he was a completely different person. He’s in a good place now, but sometimes things trigger it again.”

“I think my suit did. It’s Armani, a splurge but something my friend insisted I get for business meetings and stuff. So I did. It’s just a suit to me, but he got worked up ’cause it’s a popular label. He doesn’t have to though, I’m not judging him on his clothes. I think he looks good no matter what he wears. And I told him as much,” Dean said. Cas was making his way towards them but people were stopping him to talk. He looked exasperated when he finally reached them.

“Looking good little brother. Sharp suit,” Gabe told him. Cas smoothed his hands down the front of his jacket and made sure his tie was still tucked in.

“Thank you. I see you decided to go with more subdued colors this time.” Cas was eyeing the deep red shirt with the sky blue tie. Dean already knew by the look on his face that he didn’t like his brother’s choice of clothes. He had already concluded that Gabe was rather flamboyant, but it seemed to suit his personality, and this felt like he was actually toning things down, probably at Cas’ request. Gabe was probably the type of guy to wear a sky blue tux with a ruffled shirt to his own wedding. Dean wouldn’t put it past him.

Gabe ignored his brother’s remark and nodded towards a woman that was approaching them. “Heads up, the Wicked Witch is coming,” he murmured. Cas turned and the look that flashed over his face before it became unreadable told Dean he did not like the woman walking towards them. She was breathtaking with dark red hair pulled back in a bun, red lips and an hourglass figure tucked inside of a little black dress that hugged her every curve. Something about the way she was approaching them screamed _danger_!

“Who is she?” Dean whispered.

“Abigail Conners. She’s the vice president and she’s nasty. Just…follow my lead,” Cas whispered back. Dean nodded.

“Professors Novak! Professor Kennedy! How are you this evening?” the woman asked. 

“We are doing quite well,” Cas replied stiffly.

“Good! I’m glad. Who’s this?” Her eyes slid over to Dean, and it felt like she was undressing him as she looked him over. Her smile was almost predatory, and it was making him uncomfortable. Cas reached over and took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“That’s Dean, Castiel’s life partner,” Gabe replied before his brother could. There was none of his usual mirth and gentle teasing. He was stone cold serious. 

“Life partner? I didn’t realize you were gay,” she said, looking at Cas again.

“Have been my entire life. I just don’t run around with rainbows in my hair,” Cas replied dryly. Dean bit down on his lip to keep from laughing. He looked over at Gabe who almost seemed to be in pain from the need to make some kind of sarcastic remark. 

“I’m Dr. Abigail Conners. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dean.” She held out one hand and Dean reluctantly shook it. He couldn’t help but think that the long red nails could easily claw a man’s eyes out.

“It’s very nice to meet you as well,” he replied politely. She was undressing him with her eyes again and he wanted to snap at her for it but he was afraid he’d jeopardize Cas’ and Gabe’s jobs if he did. Instead he just bit the inside of his cheek and plastered his politest smile on his face.

“You look awfully young, Dean. Are you a student here?” she asked. Dean felt Cas stiffen next to him.

“He is most certainly not a student here! I have morals and self-respect.” It took everything Cas had not to spit the words back at her.

“Ma’am, I already hold a four year degree, and I attended the University of Illinois at Chicago. Graduated top of my class, but that was several years ago.” Dean flashed her a brighter smile. He knew what this woman was implying. “Besides, I wouldn’t have dated my professors. I was there to learn.”

“And what did you get your degree in?” Abigail asked.

“Mechanical engineering, and business administration. I run an automotive repair shop and am opening a second one this year,” Dean replied proudly. Her eyebrows raised at that.

“I’m impressed. You just look so…young.”

“I will be twenty five in just a few weeks. Cas and I are not all that far apart in age, really,” Dean told her. 

“My brother only dates highly intelligent people with the same morals and ethics as himself,” Gabe said. Abigail looked annoyed that he had spoken at all but then she was smiling again.

“Well, I do hope you enjoy the party. Hopefully we can all chat again later,” she said. Again her eyes lingered on Dean before she walked away. Once she had disappeared back into the crowd he allowed himself to visibly shudder. Gabe did the same thing.

“Does anyone else feel dirty after that?” he asked.

“Yes, like I need another shower,” Dean said, grimacing.

“I’m sorry, she’s a beast. When I first started here she tried to seduce me. I ignored her advances but she is persistent. If she asks, Dean, you’re gay. Don’t even allude to anything else,” Cas warned.

“Wait, you’re not gay?” April asked, confused.

“Oh, you’re like me?” Gabe asked, surprised. “I thought you were gay like Cassie here.”

“I don’t really do the whole label thing, but I guess if you had to put one on me, bi would fit,” Dean shrugged. “But with a shark like her nosing about, I’ll be so gay I’ll shoot rainbows out of my ass if it keeps her as far away as possible.”

Cas and Gabe both burst out laughing, and April slapped a hand over her mouth as she started giggling. Dean just smirked.

“Come on, sweetheart, I have some people I would like for you to meet.” Cas slipped his arm through Dean’s, leaning into him as they started walking away.

“I like him. He’s good for Cas,” April said once they were out of earshot.

“I agree. Of all the men my brother has dated, Dean’s the only one I actually like. I’m a bit jealous too, the man is delicious,” Gabe replied with a wicked grin. April laughed and smacked his arm.

“You are awful! But…yes, Dean is stunning. So is Cas though. God, if they could actually have biological kids together, could you imagine how stunning those children would be?” she asked.

“I know. I think that’s how God handles things though. When he wants the truly gorgeous people to get together, he makes them gay, that way they can’t flood the world with their gorgeous genes,” Gabe joked.

“You’re an idiot, you know that?” April asked, laughing. Gabe shrugged.

“I try.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cas introduced Dean to other professors as well as various other employees, and he was impressed with Dean’s ability to charm and impress. It made him smile to see the women looking at him with jealousy. A few men looked at him that way as well. He introduced his boyfriend to several deans as well as the president. They drank more punch than they had intended before wandering back towards the buffet in search of April or Gabe. Neither were there anymore.

“I have to use the bathroom. I’ll be back in a couple of minutes. Point me in the right direction?” Dean asked. Cas pointed towards the door they had come in through.

“Go out and to the right. When you reach the end of the hall, hang another right. It’s on the right.” Dean kissed his cheek before walking off. Once he was alone Cas turned to look at the food on the table.

“So how serious are you two?” 

Cas turned to see his brother standing next to him. “Very. He’s moving in officially this spring. We’re getting everything in order now. He’s buying Darnell’s shop. The offer’s already been accepted.”

“Wow. Do you think he might be the one?” Gabe was curious. He’d never seen his brother so relaxed with someone he was dating, and he’d certainly never seen him openly affectionate and loving like he was with Dean. 

“Yes, I do. We’ve already had a brief discussion about long term plans, and…he wants kids. With me. He wants them with me.” Cas smiled softly to himself, as though that very thought still amazed him.

“Wow. But not now, right? You guys are going to wait?” Gabe spotted a tray of cream puffs and snagged one.

“Of course we’re going to wait, but I think maybe next year, once we’re settled and if everything is going well with the shop and my next book, I might propose,” Cas admitted. Gabe paused with the cream puff halfway to his mouth and just stared at his brother. Cas had never, not once, mentioned being THAT serious about any previous boyfriend.

“Wow. I’m really happy for you, Cassie. You deserve happiness, and if Dean makes you happy then I am all for it. I’ll welcome him to the family with open arms.”

Cas smiled and it was the best thing Gabe had seen in years. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his brother this happy. Possibly not since he was a little boy. They picked at the food on the table for a while as they talked about classes after winter break. Gabe cleared off a second cream puff as his thoughts turned back to his brother’s earlier words.

“You didn’t get a ring already, did you?” he asked.

“No, not yet, but I admit, I looked online. Mostly because I wanted to see how much space was offered for engraving.” Cas bit into a cream puff and grimaced. He handed it to his brother who happily ate it.

“Where would you get married?” Gabe asked.

“I have no idea. That’s something we’d have to agree on.” Cas found chocolate dipped strawberries and ate one. “These are good,” he said, snagging a second one.

“What about names?” 

Cas rolled his eyes. “I don’t know. Again, that’s something to be discussed as a couple.”

“What’s something to be discussed as a couple?” Dean asked. Cas hadn’t heard him approaching over the music. The strawberry in his hand slipped, plopping onto the table. Dean smiled and found a fresh one, holding it out to him. Cas’ cheeks burned as he accepted it.

“N-nothing. Gabe was just asking questions.” 

“Oh? What about?” Dean asked. Gabe snickered and stuffed another cream puff in his mouth.

“How many of those are you going to eat?” Cas asked in horror. Gabe chuckled around a mouthful of cream and winked.

“Apparently he’s going to eat them all,” Dean laughed. He kissed the back of Cas’ neck as he placed a hand on his hip.

“Thank you for coming tonight,” Cas said as he turned to face Dean.

“I’m enjoying myself. Your friends and fellow professors, they’re nice. I think some of them are jealous that I have you though.” Dean snatched the strawberry from Cas’ hand and held it out. Cas took a bite and chewed slowly.

“I think it’s the other way around.” 

Dean threw his head back and laughed. When next he looked at his boyfriend his expression was tender. “Let them. I’m yours and only yours. For as long as you’ll have me.”

This was becoming a frequent topic. Cas took the strawberry out of Dean’s hand, pausing to lick the chocolate off the tip of his fingers.

“Shit, babe, remember where we are!” Dean hissed. Cas just smiled up at him as he wrapped his arms around Dean’s waist.

“I love you, Dean. I want _you_ forever, if you’ll have _me_.” He laid his head on the taller man’s shoulder, feeling the way Dean sighed with contentment.

“Of course I do. I’ll always want you,” Dean said as he wrapped his arms around Cas in return.

“Wow. You definitely have my approval, Dean-o. You make my brother happier than I’ve ever seen him before. Anyone that can do that is a-ok in my book.” Gabe patted his shoulder before snagging one last puff and walking away.

“I think…I like your brother. He’s not half bad,” Dean said with a small laugh. Cas smiled and lifted his head to look at him.

“It means a lot that he approves of you. You’re the only one he’s ever really done that with.”

“Further proof that you dated nothing but douchebags,” Dean teased.

“Until now. You are definitely not a douchebag.” Cas hugged him again, laying his head on his boyfriend’s shoulder once more.

“Are you ready to get out of here?” Dean asked softly. “We should get some sleep; we head out in the morning.”

“Yeah, let me tell Gabe. I’ll have him meet us at the house in the morning. He can put his car in the garage.” Cas left to go find his brother and Dean grabbed a chocolate covered strawberry for himself. They weren’t half bad.

“Well hello again.” 

Dean froze. Unfortunately he recognized that voice. He turned to see Juliette standing much too close for his liking.

“Uh, hello,” he replied tightly. Immediately he scanned the room for Cas but the man was nowhere in sight.

“What are you doing here?” She pressed close as she reached around him to grab a paper plate and he took a quick step back.

“I’m here with Cas,” he replied as he took another step back. “What are you doing here?” 

“My mom works in financial aid. She brought me along for company.” She brought a strawberry to her lips, running her tongue over it before taking a bite.

“I…have to go. Excuse me.” He turned to leave.

“I hope I get to see you again soon,” she said as her eyes roved over his body. He turned back to face her, daring her to take a step closer.

“Look, I know you probably think you can get any man you want, but I’m not like that. I am in love with Cas, and not you or anyone else is going to change that. All your behavior does is scream that you are easy, and easy is unattractive if you’re looking for someone to seriously commit to you. If you want cheap flings, fine, keep up what you’re doing, but if you want someone to actually _want_ you and want to fall in love with you, knock off the games. I knew girls like you in school. Guys I knew would fuck them and then laugh about it later, about what whores those girls were. Is that really what you want? To earn the label of town whore? If it is, my apologies, and in that case I would appreciate it if you would do me the favor of never speaking to me again. One day I intend to marry that man and you stressing him out because you feel the need to try and bust up another person’s loving relationship, it just pisses me off. Good evening, Juliette. Excuse me.” Dean adjusted his tie and turned to leave again but Cas was right there, eyes wide with surprise.

“Oh…hi,” Dean said nervously. “Um, how much of that did you hear?” He scratched at the back of his neck and glanced back at Juliette but she was gone.

“The whole thing?” Cas’ cheeks burned. He rubbed his hands together in embarrassment. It hadn’t been his intention to eavesdrop on Dean, only to come and fetch him so they could leave.

“Are you ready to go then?” Dean asked. Cas nodded. Dean smiled and took his hand as they started for the coat check.

“I’m sorry, I probably jumped the gun but I needed her to back the hell off,” Dean said as they were waiting for the girl behind the counter to get their coats.

“No, I get it. The look on her face makes me think she might actually take your words to heart. I hope she does, before she contracts something she can’t get rid of.” Cas accepted both coats and this time he helped Dean into his before slipping his own on. He took Dean’s hand again and they started for the door.

“Do…we need to talk about what just happened? Should we talk about what just happened?” Dean asked as they got into the truck. It was already warming up so they had a few minutes before they could leave.

“Oh, well…I guess?” Cas scratched at his chin. He was too nervous to look Dean in the eye.

“I told you I can handle myself against unwanted advances. She wasn’t as pushy this time but I knew that if I didn’t put her in her place now, she’d keep finding me and I don’t want that. So I told her how I feel. I don’t want her or anyone else upsetting you or making you worry.” Dean slid across the seat, fingers latching onto the front of Cas’ coat and pulling him closer. “I love you, Cas, more than I’ve ever loved anyone. You mean the world to me and when you’re hurting, so am I. I won’t let her or anyone do that to you.” He kissed Cas softly.

“Did you mean what you said?” Cas asked, finally lifting his head to look him in the eye.

“Yeah, I did. Not today, of course, but someday.” Dean smiled, and Cas swore his heart was going to explode. He threw his arms around Dean’s neck and kissed him with everything he had.

“Whoa! Let’s take that enthusiasm home, ok?” Dean said when they finally pulled apart. 

“Yeah, yeah…home.” 

Cas couldn’t get out of the parking lot fast enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment, let me know how you liked the chapter, and how you like the story thus far. I love you guys!


	14. The Road to Lebanon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Gabe had a heart to heart, and the older man helps him make up his mind about something. They hit the road, driving straight through to Kansas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cas is finally getting to meet Dean's parents and brother. As predicted, they love him.

The following morning Gabe was on their front steps bright and early. Dean was moving around the kitchen making breakfast when the man came through the front door.

“Dean-o!” he cried as he sat down on one of the stools at the island. Dean turned and placed a cup of coffee and plate of waffles in front of him. “Hey, thanks man!” Gabe eagerly dug into the food, which made Dean chuckle. He grabbed his own plate of food and sat down across from him. He winced and shifted his weight a bit until he was comfortable. Cas had fulfilled his promise the night before to make it hard for him to walk today. He’d be feeling the effects for days, and that made him happy.

“Someone had a night of good sex,” Gabe laughed. There was a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “My baby brother never ceases to amaze. Never took him for a top.”

“Geez, Gabe, that’s your brother you’re talking about.” Dean groaned, but he was smiling. 

“I know exactly who I’m talking about. People have walked all over him his entire life. Not me though, I always tried to get him to stand up for himself. Looks like he finally is, and he’s getting everything he ever wanted and deserved. We were talking about you last night, you know. I think you’re the best thing that has ever happened to him. He needed you in his life more than I think he ever realized. God his last boyfriend was such a jerk. You and that guy are like polar opposites.” Gabe lowered his fork, the perpetual smirk he always wore disappearing, replaced by something infinitely more serious.

“He loves you more than anything, you know.”

Dean swallowed his mouthful of pancakes and looked at the other man. “I hope you know that I love him more than anything in the world. I fell in love with him even before we met. I honestly didn’t realize that was possible, but I did, and I really can’t imagine my life without him in it. Trust me, I wouldn’t be picking everything up and moving here if I wasn’t absolutely certain that he was worth it…that what we have together is worth keeping. One day I’m going to marry your brother. I’d like your blessing when the time comes, but to be truthful, I won’t let anyone stand in my way of spending the rest of my life with him. He already knows, it sort of slipped out last night when I was chewing someone out, but I thought I should let you know that I am absolutely serious about Cas.”

Gabe cocked his head. “Who were you chewing out and why?”

Dean took a slow, deep breath and exhaled just as slowly. “This girl came on to me at the store last weekend. Her name is Juliette. She was there again last night. Spotted me, started flirting. It stresses Cas out and I don’t like that, so…I told her off. I said I plan to marry him some day and that I wasn’t going to let her or anyone else jeopardize that.”

“And…Cas overheard?” Gabe guessed. Dean’s cheeks reddened as he nodded.

“He heard the entire exchange.” 

Gabe chuckled and shook his head. “And you got mind-blowing sex as payment I assume.” Dean’s cheeks reddened even further.

“…You could say that.”

Gabe burst out laughing. “Knew it.”

“Shh, don’t wake Cas. He’s worn out.” Dean snorted and stuffed his mouth with more waffles, but Gabe was laughing so hard he was crying.

“So what time are we leaving? And are we taking your car?” he asked once he was able to stop laughing.

“We’re taking my car, you and Cas will be flying home after the week is up. I’d drive you back but I have to get back to work.” Dean sighed and dropped his fork to his plate. He really didn’t want to go home.

“Hey, it won’t be long til you’re here for good, right? Is there anything I can do to help speed along the process?” Gabe asked.

“Yeah, one thing. Keep your brother happy? I think he’s going to be upset once I leave. I can’t stand the thought that he’d be here crying or something. I need him to be happy. Can you do that for me?” 

“You got it,” Gabe promised.

“We’re building a second garage. He can tell you more later, but it’s for me to work on classic cars. I rebuild them. If you could keep him trained on that I’m hoping it will make the time pass faster for him. I’m going to try and move as fast as I can when I get back to Chicago because as much as he’s going to miss me, I’m going to be missing him just as much. I just want to be done with all of it and be here already.” Dean’s shoulders slumped and his appetite disappeared. April was so far away…

“You guys will have known each other for almost a year by then, right?” Gabe asked.

“Yeah. I guess we weren’t really dating at first. At least, we weren’t saying we were, but I wasn’t seeing anyone else,” Dean admitted.

“Neither was Cassie. I think the moment he first saw your face; that was it, he was smitten. Don’t tell him I said that though.” Gabe waggled his eyebrows before popping the last bite of waffle in his mouth.

Dean managed to finish his food and get the dishes washed before Cas finally made an appearance. It was clear he was grumpy as he plopped down into Dean’s empty seat. Dean kissed the top of his head as he set a cup of coffee down in front of him. He knew better than to attempt conversation until Cas had finished at least half of his first cup. He whipped up a fresh batch of waffles from the remaining batter and Cas took it gratefully.

“Thank you.” His voice was still thick with sleep but he was starting to wake up. He offered a small smile and Dean kissed the top of his head again.

“Hey, let’s go swap the cars. You can park in the garage and we’ll move your bags into Baby’s trunk.” Dean started for the garage door and Gabe followed.

“Your car has a name?” he asked, amused.

“She’s a classic, and my pride and joy,” Dean said proudly as they stepped into the garage. Gabe whistled when he spotted the Impala.

“She’s a beaut!” 

Dean slid in behind the wheel and started her up. “Wait a sec, I’ll open the garage door.” Cas had given him a garage door opener the day after he’d given him a key to the house, and he had slid it onto the visor with pride. He hit the button and the door began to rise. Gabe went out to his own car and started it. The car swap only took them a couple of minutes and Dean fit the man’s bags neatly into the trunk. When they went back into the house Cas was pouring himself a second cup of coffee. His plate was already washed and put in the dish rack. He smiled when Dean came and snuck his arms around his waist and kissed his cheek.

“Are you ready to go?” Dean asked.

“I’m packed but I need a shower.” Cas made a pouting face and Dean nipped at the lip he had sticking out.

“Go on, gorgeous. I’ll put your bags in the car.” Dean rubbed his back and kissed him on the forehead before heading for the stairs.

“Wow, he’s something else.” Gabe leaned against the island and smirked at his brother.

“What do you mean?” Cas leaned against the counter opposite him and nursed the cup of coffee he was holding. 

“I mean you found your Prince Charming. I heard you when you were little and you were alone in your room. You used to pray that God would send you your very own Prince Charming, like all the princesses got in the movies. I heard a lot of your prayers. I told you all the time that there was nothing wrong with you and that it was ok to like boys, but I know you didn’t believe it thanks to dad. But I know you wanted that special someone that would sweep you off your feet and love you unconditionally and…I think you’ve finally found that. I’m impressed, he takes good care of you. Is he like this every morning?”

Cas smiled around the rim of his coffee cup and looked at his brother. “Yeah, he’s amazing. He’s up early cooking and cleaning. He made sure I have meals ready to eat when I get home from work for like the next month, and he went and stocked up the cabinets so that I wouldn’t have to go shopping when the weather gets really bad. He has plans for the greenhouse in the spring, and for the land. We’re going to put in a compost bin and plant some vegetables out in the field. I bought him a poster for Christmas, and he wanted it hung in the bedroom. He was so happy to get it. He was going to buy it for himself but I wanted to get it for him. And…I have a dresser being made for him. The one I have, I gave him a couple of drawers but he’s coming back with a lot more stuff. We’ll need to find space for all of it. The dresser is a start.” He smiled wider, ducking his head as he did.

“Wow. You are so far gone on this guy. Good thing he’s far gone on you too,” Gabe laughed.

“Ok, so I left most of my stuff in the drawers. I’m taking my bags back with me because my mom no doubt bought a ton of clothes for me. I told you to pack light. I guarantee she’ll make sure you have your weight in flannel before the week is over,” Dean said as he passed by the kitchen. He was carrying all the bags. “You didn’t take your shower yet?”

“Going now. It won’t take me long.” Cas put his cup in the sink and headed for the stairs.

“Here, let me help.” Gabe took half of the bags and followed as Dean headed out to the car. 

“So how many meals did you actually make for Cas for when you’re gone?” Gabe asked as he handed over the bags he was holding.

“Not nearly enough. They won’t last until I’m back. Don’t tell him but I’m seriously thinking of biting the bullet on my fear of flying, talking to my doctor about some anxiety meds and flying out here on weekends. It’s going to kill me being away for the next four months.” When Dean turned to look at him Gabe could see the misery in his eyes.

“I have an idea,” he said. “What if you guys alternate? You can come out here a couple of weekends a month and he can come to Chicago a few times a month. I’ll gladly drive him to and from the airport if it means he’ll be happy. You can show him the city, he can help you pack, and you can introduce him to all of your friends. I know he wants that. He wants to be a part of your life as much as you will let him.”

“You know what? I like that idea, a lot. I’ll bring it up on the drive down.” Dean’s eyes were sparkling with excitement that Gabe was glad to see. He knew Cas would be a mess with Dean gone but he hadn’t counted on Dean being a mess as well. If the two of them were happy, things would move along faster and they could be here together sooner. It would work out better this way.

“Good. Let’s go see if Sleeping Beauty is done with his shower. You might want to clean the coffee pot out or he’ll come back to moldy grounds in the basket,” Gabe said as they started back to the house.

“Right. I also want to make sure I didn’t leave a load in the washer.” Dean tossed the coffee grounds and rinsed the basket as well as Cas’ cup before heading to the laundry room. Cas came down the stairs looking sharp in jeans and a Van Halen tee shirt.

“Whoa, what are you wearing?” Gabe asked as he observed his brother’s choice of clothing.

“Dean said I could…do I look stupid? Should I change?” Cas looked down at the shirt and frowned.

“No, you look great actually. For once you don’t look like a professor. You just look like a regular guy. And Dean is so going to be all over you tonight.” Gabe winked and grinned as Dean came back. 

“Holy…WOW.” Dean said as he took in Cas’ outfit. “Baby, you’re so fucking hot like this, I love it.” He pulled Cas close and kissed his cheek.

“It’s ok? I know you said I could wear the shirts but I don’t want to overstep my boundaries.” Cas looked up, the worry in his eyes still showing.

“No, it’s fine. I actually like seeing you in my clothes. It’s hot as hell. Do we have everything we’re going to need? We have all the presents?” Dean asked.

“Oh, I sort of wanted to give you the ones I bought you now so we don’t have to take them with us. Unless you want to bring them back to Chicago, but that’s totally up to you.” Cas headed to his office, returning a couple of minutes later with a stack of boxes.

“Geez, you didn’t have to get me all this. You bought me the poster, gave me the key…that was enough, I didn’t need anything else,” Dean said softly.

“I wanted to. Besides, most of this you’ll need in order to really survive a Montana winter, trust me.” Cas set the boxes on the island and picked one of the larger ones up. He handed it over. Dean smiled as he opened it.

“Boots? You’re right, I am going to need these. The ones I’m wearing now are definitely not meant for snow.” Dean looked down at the black ones he was currently wearing. They were more for comfort than anything and his toes were freezing most days, even with two pairs of socks on when he trudged out to the barn to see the horses. The new ones were thick and well insulated. He quickly took off his current ones and slipped the new ones on. They fit comfortably, and he didn’t think he looked too bad in them either. “Thank you, babe.”

“You’re welcome. Now this one I had hand made. A friend of mine, her mother makes them. You came woefully unprepared for the winters here. I know you’re used to Chicago winters, which I know can be brutal in their own right, but these are the mountains. I want you warm when you’re heading to and from the shop, or when you’re out in the barn, or wherever,” Cas explained as Dean opened the next box he was handed.

“This is very nice. Handmade you say? I love it, it’s so soft.” There was a handmade hat, scarf, and mittens in the box and Dean was running his fingers over them. “Gabe, feel these, they’re so soft.” He held the box out and Gabe did run his fingers over the soft yarn.

“Oh, I like that. Usually yarn is rough and scratchy. I’m betting that’s real animal hair, so don’t get it wet,” he warned.

“Another professor, you didn’t meet her, but her mother owns a herd of alpacas. She mixes different fibers, so I think this is a combination of alpaca and maybe mohair? But it’s incredibly soft, waterproof, and warm.” Cas took the box back and handed Dean a smaller one. He chuckled as he opened it.

“Socks?” he asked, grinning.

“No, those are fantastic; I have those. They’re double lined and incredibly warm. Combine those with your new boots and you can stand outside in temps up to like negative fifty and your feet will stay super toasty,” Gabe said. Cas nodded in agreement.

“I own several pairs myself. I got frostbite last winter. It’s excruciating. I don’t want you experiencing that ever.” 

“I love them, and I plan to put them to good use.” Dean told him. Cas took the box back and handed him a new one. It was much smaller and even Gabe knew it had to contain something small but valuable. He arched an eyebrow but kept his mouth shut. Dean looked at the box and then up at Cas. It was too big to be a ring box, but he hadn’t anticipated jewelry. He tore the paper off and lifted the lid as Cas began to babble.

“If it’s too much, I’ll return it, but I asked Charlie before I bought it and I Skyped her too when it arrived to show her and she swore you’d like it and you’d wear it and if I’m overstepping boundaries, I apologize-”

“Cas,” Dean said as he lifted out the bracelet that had been nestled down inside the box. Cas closed his mouth and looked over nervously at his brother who seemed impressed. It was leather, about two to three inches in width, with a small, silver plaque in the middle. A single word was elegantly engraved in the center. ‘Forever’. A small C was in the lower right hand corner. “This is beautiful. I love it, and I love you. Help me put it on?” Dean held the bracelet out and Cas accepted it, putting it on the wrist that Dean held out to him. 

“It’s not too much?” Cas asked.

“No, it’s perfect. You are perfect. I love you.” Dean cupped the man’s face and kissed him softly. Cas melted in his touch.

“Good. I worried I was moving too fast,” he said. Dean chuckled at that.

“Babe, we talked about marriage and starting a family this week. This is a definitely not moving too fast.”

“Here, I got you a couple more things.” Cas handed him a package that Dean immediately recognized the shape of. He tore the paper off quickly.

“Cas! I can’t believe you found this! Was this at that shop?!” Dean held up the album, reading all of the songs and information on it.

“No, actually. I made a trip to the other store I told you about. I called ahead and they said they had it, so I went and picked it up. I know you said you liked Zeppelin, so I when I heard this was available, I wanted to get it for you.” Cas watched as Dean looked over the album, his excitement growing.

“Damn I wish I could listen to this right now,” Dean finally said with a sigh. 

“You can take it back or…you can leave it here.” Cas shrugged.

“It’s staying. But it’ll be the first thing I listen to next time I’m here.” Dean carried the album into the living room and stored it on the shelf with the ones Cas had already there.

“What do you mean when you come back?” Cas asked as he followed after him.

“I’ll explain in the car,” Dean said as he slipped the album onto the shelf.

“I’d like an explanation now if you don’t mind.” 

“Cassie, let the man explain it on the ride. I already talked to him about it but he wants to talk more in depth with you. If you keep talking here we’re never going to get to Kansas,” Gabe said. Cas frowned at his brother.

“Fine. But I expect an explanation. And a good one too.” 

Dean walked over and kissed him firmly on the lips. “Of course. Now are we ready to go? We need to throw out all the wrapping paper.” 

“Oh, I have one more, but it’s just an envelope.” Cas was still holding all the wrapping paper balled up in his hands. He scrunched it into a ball and walked back to the kitchen to throw it out. When Dean came back to the kitchen he handed him the envelope.

“What’s this? Another massage coupon?” Dean asked, smiling.

“No, but I can arrange that if you want,” Cas replied.

“No, sweetheart, you’ve already done so much. You don’t need to spoil me; I’m a simple man. I just hope you like what I got you.” Dean opened the envelope. It contained a picture and he stood staring at it for a long time with a dopey grin on his face. It was the dresser that would match the existing set.

“You have them making it already?” he asked when he finally tore his eyes away. Cas nodded.

“Yes. The day you said you wanted to stay, I called them.” 

“It’s beautiful. I love it.” Dean slipped the picture into his back pocket and pulled Cas in for a hug. “You’re the most amazing person I know, you know that?” He murmured against his boyfriend’s ear. Cas hugged him just a little bit tighter and kissed his jaw.

“I could say the same about you, Dean.” 

“Aww, you guys are so precious, but Dean-o, you said you wanted to be on the road by nine. It’s now nine fifteen. We should get going,” Gabe piped up.

“Yeah, of course. Let’s get going.”

 

“So what did you mean?” 

They hadn’t even hit the highway yet and Cas was demanding to know what Dean had meant by his earlier comment. Dean grinned and reached over to take his hand. Gabe was on his tablet in the backseat but he looked up to see how his brother would take what Dean was about to say.

“So I was telling Gabe that it’s going to drive me nuts being away from you consistently for four long months, so I got to thinking. I can’t drive out here every weekend, it’s not exactly a short trip and I’d be completely worn out by the time I got here, I’d have hardly any time with you, and then I’d have to turn around and head right back. So I thought maybe I’d go see my doctor, get something for my anxiety over flying and come out on the weekends to spend time with you, but your brother suggested that maybe we could like, alternate? So I’m not having a damn heart attack flying eight times every month. So maybe you could come to Chicago one weekend and the next weekend I’d come to you. What do you think? If you don’t want to, I’ll understand.” 

“I want that! Yes! I have no problems flying. I’ll come to you every weekend if that makes it easier on you. I don’t even care. Four months is too long to be without you,” Cas replied eagerly. “If I could just come out and stay, to help you pack and whatnot, I would stay the entire time, but I can’t abandon my students. I can, however, leave Friday night and fly out, spend all day Saturday and Sunday, and go home Sunday night. Late flights?” 

“Yeah, that would be awesome. We’ll alternate though. You need to supervise the garage being built, but you coming in to the city will give you an idea of the stuff I have, and where we can put it in the house, Dean told him. Cas nodded reluctantly.

“Are you going to be ok to fly though?” he asked.

“Honestly? Without something for anxiety, no. And maybe once or twice I might need to drag Charlie with me. I don’t do well flying alone. Once I took a trip with Sam. I held his hand the entire time. He gets it though and talks me through it. Charlie would do the same thing. And at least once, maybe twice Bobby will have to come out with me. He wants to see the new garage.”

“I’ll drop you off and pick you up on your weekends,” Gabe added. Cas turned to look at his brother.

“Thank you, I appreciate that.”

Gabe waved him off. “What are brothers for?”

 

Dean was determined to reach his parents’ house without having to stop for the night, so he decided to give Cas a shot at driving one leg of the trip. Halfway through Wyoming they switched and Dean curled up in the passenger seat. It didn’t take long for him to doze off. Cas reached over to touch the hand Dean had lying on the seat between them. The miles fell away as they approached Kansas and when they passed over the city limit into Lebanon, Cas breathed a sigh of relief.

“Are we there yet?” Gabe joked.

“Yes, finally!” Cas replied.

Dean stirred in the passenger seat, his green eyes slowly opening.

“We’re here?” he yawned.

“Almost. We’re in Lebanon now,” Cas replied. Dean looked out the window, spotting familiar landmarks.

“About ten minutes.” He directed Cas across the city and right to his parents’ house. As they pulled into the driveway the front porch light came on.

“I think they were up waiting.” Dean chuckled. Cas parked behind a pickup truck and Dean hurried to get out. He came around to the driver’s side and opened Cas’ door for him.

“Awww,” Gabe teased. Cas shot him a dirty look, which just made his brother snicker.

The front door of the house opened and Mary Winchester stepped out.

“Dean!” 

Dean met his mother as she hurried down the stairs in her fuzzy slippers and robe, scooping her up in a hug and squeezing her tight. “Hey mom.” He kissed her cheek before setting her back down on the ground. 

“Was the drive ok? How long was it from Montana to here?” She asked.

“Fifteen hours roughly. Cas drove the last half of it,” he replied. Her eyes widened and she looked between her son and his boyfriend.

“You…let someone else drive the Impala?”

“Yes, mom. I trust Cas. He’s a good driver.” Dean smiled at his boyfriend who smiled back shyly. 

“Well…are you going to introduce me?” Mary inquired. Dean nodded quickly and reached out to Cas who took his hand. He pulled the man close, putting his arm around his waist.

“Mom, I would like you to meet Castiel. He goes by Cas for short. Cas, this is my mother, Mary Winchester-Cameron.” 

Cas smiled and offered his hand. “It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Cameron, Dean speaks of you often, and always with love.” 

Mary batted his hand away and pulled him into a hug. “I’ve been waiting months to meet you. Dean has told me so much about you. I’m so glad you’re finally here!” Cas hugged her back while Dean looked on with a contented smile. When they parted she looked over at Gabe who was still standing by the car.

“And you must be Gabriel, Cas’ brother. Come here, sweetie.” Mary held her arms out to him and Gabe smiled brightly as he walked over and gave her a hug.

“It’s very nice to meet you too, ma’am.” 

“None of that now, you boys will call me Mary. Get your bags and come on inside. We all waited up for you,” she told them.

They went to the trunk and began pulling bags out. 

“Is Charlie here yet?” Dean asked.

“No, she called and said she’s coming down with Dorothy on the twenty third. She says Dorothy couldn’t get off any sooner than that from work,” Mary replied. They followed her into the house. Sam walked over, taking bags from his brother.

“Let me help.” 

“Thanks, Sammy.” Dean left Cas and Gabe in the kitchen while he and Sam ran the bags up to the bedroom.

“Come and meet my husband, he’s in the living room. Fell asleep watching a movie with Sam.” Mary motioned for Cas and Gabe to follow her.

“Frank, honey, the boys are here.” She walked over to the recliner where a man in pajamas and a bathrobe was sleeping. He lifted his head when she shook his shoulder.

“What?” He asked groggily.

“The boys are here.” 

Dean and Sam reappeared and Dean slipped an arm around Cas’ waist, pulling him close.

“Hey Frank, I’d like you to meet my boyfriend, Cas, and his brother Gabe. Guys, this is my stepdad, Frank. From here on out though, I will refer to him as my dad. Just putting that out there so you’re not confused later.” Dean said. Cas nodded. Gabe walked over as Frank got to his feet and stuck out his hand.

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, and thank you both for allowing me to join you this Christmas. Cas is my only family and it would have been rough being away from him during the holidays. This means a lot.” 

Frank smiled and shook his hand. “We are more than happy to have you here. And it’s nice to meet you as well.” He turned his attention to Cas. “So you’re Cas. It’s good to finally meet you, son.” Frank held out his hand and Cas shook it.

“It’s very nice to meet you as well, sir.” 

“Do you like football?” Frank asked. Dean chuckled.

“I do, both college and NFL,” Cas replied. Frank grinned and patted his back.

“We’re gonna get along just fine!”

Dean turned to his brother and motioned for him to come closer. “Cas, I’d like you to formally meet my brother Sam.” Cas turned to look at Sam, his expression friendly but full of concern.

“Hello Sam. How have you been?” The concern was in his voice as well and that warmed Dean’s heart. Cas was so caring, even with people he didn’t know. Their well-being mattered to him.

“I’m getting better,” Sam replied, offering a warmer smile than Dean had expected. His brother looked better, and he was glad for that. The effects of the fire were mostly gone, only a few faint pink scars remained on his forehead and one cheek.

“I understand that. It’s good to finally meet you in person,” Cas said.

“And I’m Gabe, Cas’ brother.” Gabe offered his hand and Sam shook it.

“Nice to meet you, Gabe,” Sam said.

“You all must be exhausted after that drive. I put clean sheets on your bed, Dean, and Gabe, if it’s ok with you we set up a foldaway bed in Sam’s room. He said it was ok for you to stay with him. When Charlie and Dorothy get here they’ll take the sofa bed,” Mary said.

“I’m very tired, actually, but the whole time change has kind of thrown me,” Cas admitted.

“We’re on Central Standard Time here, sweetie. I believe we’re an hour ahead? So it’s almost four here.” Mary explained. Cas’ eyes widened.

“Oh! We should have stopped for the night! I didn’t want you to have to wait up like this for us!”

“Honey, it’s ok. We wanted to, and I know my son. When he has a destination in mind he’ll drive til he drops to reach it. The fact that you helped him with the driving and kept him from crashing on the way means the world to me. Thank you for bringing my son safely home,” she said. Cas was humbled by her words, and when he looked up at Dean he saw how the man was beaming at his mother. It was amazing how much love there was in this house.

“Come on babe, I’ll show you where the bedroom and the bathroom are. You too, Gabe.” Dean kissed his mother and hugged his father before heading for the stairs, pulling Cas along by his hand. Gabe and Sam both followed along.

“This is the bathroom,” Dean said once they were on the second floor. “This is Sam’s room.” He pointed at his brother’s room. “And this is mine.” Dean opened the door to his room and reached in to flip the light switch.

“I’m going to go and get ready for bed,” Cas went into the room, closing the door behind him.

“Where are my bags?” Gabe asked.

“I put them in my room til we figured out the sleeping arrangements. When Cas is done I’ll get them for you,” Dean replied. Gabe covered his mouth as he yawned. He wasn’t used to staying up this late.

‘I’ll show you your bed,” Sam told him. Gabe offered a tired smile and nodded. Dean watched his brother lead Gabe into his room. He slipped into his own room in time to see Cas pulling up a pair of pajama pants. The same ones he had seen Cas in back when they first Skyped, the ones with the tiny bees on them. It brought a smile to Dean’s face. He grabbed Gabe’s bags and took them across the hall, walking right into Sam’s room since the door was still open.

“Here you go.” He deposited the bags on the floor at the foot of the fold out bed.

“Thanks Dean-o.” Gabe had stripped out of his coat and the plaid button down he’d been wearing. He was now wearing just a white tee shirt and jeans.

“Get some sleep, and if you’re up for it in the morning I’ll make us all some breakfast,” Dean told him.

“Your brother makes the most amazing waffles,” Gabe said, directing his words to Sam.

“Oh, I know. I’ve missed having them,” Sam said, smiling at his brother.

“Ok, we’ll see you in the morning.” Dean walked back across the hall to his room to find it empty. He quickly stripped down, changing into his own pajama pants. Locating his toothbrush and toothpaste he started for the bathroom. 

As he opened the door he could hear voices in the hall. He recognized one of them as Cas’.

“Thank you, Mary, you’re too kind.” 

Dean opened the door to see both of his parents and Cas standing in the hall. Mary turned to look at him with a smile on her face. 

“You boys sleep well, ok? We’ll see you in the morning.” She cupped Dean’s face, pulling him down so she could kiss his forehead. 

“Yeah, ma. I’m making breakfast in the morning though, so don’t rush to get up, ok?” Her smile brightened even more.

“You are such a good boy. Ok, we’re heading to bed now. Goodnight.”

Dean and Cas watched his parents disappear into their room.

“They’re very nice,” Cas commented.

“Was she bothering you about your books? She’s a bit of a fan.” Dean started for the bathroom and Cas followed.

“She wasn’t bothering me. It’s not like I have fangirls or anything. I appreciate everyone that actually reads what I write and takes it to heart.” Cas yawned and wiped at his eyes as they began to water. Dean hurried to brush his teeth. He took Cas’ hand and walked him back to the bedroom.

 

“Come on, gorgeous, you get to sleep in tomorrow. I will warn you though, it’s not generally quiet in the Winchester-Cameron house in the mornings. But…” Dean closed the door and pulled Cas against him. “I will have copious amounts of coffee ready and waiting for you.” He kissed Cas’ jaw before burying his face in the crook of his neck. 

“I will try my hardest to be pleasant in the morning. I don’t want to give your family the wrong impression.” Cas sighed as he let his head fall to the side so Dean could move closer.

“Alright. Come on. I think you’ll like the bed; it’s memory foam.” Dean took him by the hand and took him over to the bed. Cas was yawning again as Dean pulled the covers back. Once they were settled he turned the lights off and curled himself around his boyfriend.

“I love you, Dean,” Cas murmured just before sleep gripped him tight.

“I love you too, Cas.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So....for the sake of the plot, we're taking a necessary smut break for a couple of chapters. It'll be ok, trust me. There will be sexy times again...
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Leave a comment!


	15. Family Traditions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first time the Novak boys really get to participate in real holiday traditions, and Cas is loving it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Family time and fluff mostly. Enjoy!

Cas woke the next morning to sunlight streaming through the window. He rolled over to find the bed empty, but he had expected that. After stretching he pulled himself from the bed and dug his robe out of his bag. He put it on and after a pit stop in the bathroom he made his way downstairs. There were voices coming from the direction of the kitchen so he followed them.

“Hey! Good morning, gorgeous!” Dean greeted him. He already had a cup of coffee in hand and he pressed it into Cas’ hands as he kissed his forehead. Cas smiled up at him.

“Thank you.” 

“Did you sleep well?” Sam asked.

Cas turned to see Sam sitting at the kitchen table by the window. He had a newspaper and a cup of coffee but was looking up with a smile.

“I did, actually. I didn’t even hear Dean get up this morning. I hadn’t realized I was that tired.” Cas moved over to the table and sat down. Dean set a plate of food down in front of him a few minutes later.

“Oh, thank you, sweetheart,” Cas said as he picked up his fork and knife. Mary walked in the kitchen, pausing to kiss the top of Sam’s head and then Cas’ before moving on to Dean and kissing his cheek. Cas looked up in surprise as she poured herself a cup of coffee and continued on out of the room again. Sam laughed at his reaction.

“Not used to the affection, are you?” Sam asked. Cas blushed and dropped his eyes to his plate.

“N-no, I didn’t get a lot of that growing up,” he admitted.

“Dean talks so much about you that it’s like we all know you already, and my mom has been dying to meet you for months now. You’re the first person Dean’s ever brought home to meet us.”

“I know, he told me,” Cas said as he cut the pancakes on his plate.

Dean pulled a chair around and sat down right next to Cas. He looked over at his brother.

“How are you holding up?” 

Sam shrugged. “I’m dealing.”

“You haven’t called in a while. If you would have, I’d have come and driven you back to Stanford,” Dean said.

“I...didn’t go back to California. I couldn’t.” Sam hung his head, unwilling to look at his brother.

“You stayed here? How come mom didn’t say something?” Dean asked.

“I asked her not to. I finished up my coursework online and got my degree. I just didn’t do the whole graduation and walk across the stage deal. Next year I’ll be transferring to Harvard. I just needed some time off.” Sam finally looked up, and Dean could see the pain in his eyes. 

“It’s alright, Sam. You take as much time as you need.” Cas patted the man’s knee and Sam gave him a small smile.

“Yeah, and don’t ever be afraid to talk to me. I’m your brother and I love you. If you ever want to talk, I’m here.” Dean patted his brother’s shoulder.

“Speaking of brothers, where is mine?” Cas asked.

“He went to the store this morning with Frank. They’re not back yet,” Sam replied.

Cas finished his food and Dean took his plate to wash it. “Where did your mom go?” 

“She’s making room for the tree,” Dean said as he walked back with a fresh pot of coffee. He refilled Cas’ cup.

“Well, why aren’t you both helping her?” Cas asked. Sam and Dean shared a look, both shrugging. Cas got up and the look on his face told Dean he was both disappointed and angry. It made him feel like an ass.

“You’re right, but I was in here cooking breakfast. I wanted her to take a morning off,” Dean said in his own defense. Cas looked at Sam with one eyebrow arched. 

“Oh…uh….I suppose I should be helping her.” Sam got to his feet and quickly left the room.

Dean snorted and shook his head.

“What?” Cas asked, putting his hands on his hips. Dean wiped his hands on the dishtowel he had over his shoulder and crossed the room to stand in front of his boyfriend.

“It’s going to sound silly but I was thinking how our…um…kids? They’ll listen very well later if you give them that look.” Dean knew his face was as red as a tomato but he couldn’t do anything about that. Cas was beaming up at him though, and he hugged Dean tight.

“Come on, let’s go help my mom,” Dean said softly.

“Ok,” Cas agreed, and followed Dean to the living room.

 

Sam was setting up the tree while Mary was busy sorting through boxes of ornaments when Dean and Cas walked in. Cas went to help Sam while Dean walked over to his mother. She looked up at him with mild amusement.

“Did Cas make you boys come in here?” she asked.

“I was going to come anyway,” Dean argued.

“Uh huh.” She patted her son’s arm. “Thank you, Cas, honey. For motivating my boys to come help.”

“You’re welcome, Mary. This is the first time I’ve ever gotten to participate in tree decorating, as…” Cas bit down on his lower lip and looked at Dean.

“Cas didn’t have a close-knit family growing up. He didn’t get to do stuff like this,” Dean explained. Mary frowned for a moment before standing up and walking over to Cas. She pulled him into a hug, and he looked over her shoulder at Dean in surprise. It made Dean chuckle.

“We’re happy to have you here and include you in our family traditions,” Mary told him. Cas blinked, trying not to cry.

“Thank you.” He hugged her a little bit tighter.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They had the tree up and decorated before Frank and Gabe returned. The sound of rustling bags and boots stomping on the mat by the door drew everyone’s attention.

“Wow, tree looks great!” Gabe exclaimed as he dumped all the bags he was carrying on the couch.

“Uh, where did you go?” Dean asked. He moved to peek in one of the bags but Gabe slapped his hand away.

“No looking.” 

“What is all that?” Cas asked.

“I did a little Christmas shopping,” Gabe replied.

“I thought you had done all of your shopping already,” Cas said.

“I thought I had too, but I changed my mind. Frank and I went to get some things.” Gabe pulled out two rolls of wrapping paper. “Sam, would you mind if I wrapped this stuff up in your room?”

“No, go right ahead,” Sam told him. Gabe flashed him a smile before collecting his bags and heading for the stairs. The front door closed as Frank came through the door with more bags.

“Are these Gabe’s too?” Dean asked.

“No, these are mine. I got a few things too.” Frank took his coat off and hung it up. He excused himself to go wrap what he had bought as well.

“Can we start putting stuff under the tree?” Dean turned and asked his mother.

“Sure, honey. I was going to start putting stuff under it myself.” 

Dean started for the stairs, taking them two at a time. He glanced at Sam’s closed bedroom door before heading into his own room. He opened the bags with the gifts he and Cas had brought and began sorting through them. When he heard the door click shut he looked up to see Cas coming towards him.

“I want to get dressed.” Cas went to his bag and began sorting through the clothes he had brought. He smiled when he saw several of Dean’s tee shirts neatly folded in his bag. He pulled one out and held it up.

“Did you put this in here?”

Dean looked up, smirking when he saw the shirt. “Hell yes. I told you I love seeing you in my clothes.” 

Cas stripped off his robe and pajamas and slid the tee shirt over his head. He was still pulling it down when he was practically tackled onto the bed. He let out a startled cry as Dean’s weight settled on top of him.

“What do you think you’re doing?” He gasped as Dean’s mouth began working its way across his jaw and down his throat.

“Giving you a proper good morning,” Dean growled as his hands slid under Cas’ shirt.

“Good morning yourself.” Cas brought his hands up to grasp at Dean’s hips, pulling him down against him. Dean’s mouth found his and he licked along Cas’ lower lip until the man opened up, letting him in. His fingers were just making their way to the zipper on Dean’s pants when there came a knock at the door. 

“Yes?” Dean asked. Cas was close to giggling at the exasperation on Dean’s face.

“Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to take Cas around today, show him stuff. I kind of don’t want to just sit around the house today.” It was Sam, and Dean was reluctant to deny his brother anything.

“Yeah, sure, Sammy. I’ll be down in a bit with gifts to put under the tree, and Cas is getting dressed. Just give us a few minutes.”

“Ok. I’ll be in the living room,” Sam replied.

“He’s having a hard time, this is his first holiday without his girlfriend. It makes sense that he wants to spend time with you. I think it’s nice that he wants to include me. If you want me to stay here, I will.” Cas caressed Dean’s cheek and looked up at him.

“No, he wants you there too. He wants a pleasant distraction and taking you around to see all our old haunts will help to keep his mind off Jess,” Dean said. With a sigh he climbed off the bed and picked up the jeans Cas had dropped when he threw him on the bed. He handed them over and Cas pulled them on. He stood up, coming around the edge of the bed to stand in front of Dean.

“We can pick up where we left off tonight, ok?” He wrapped his arms around Dean’s waist and puckered his lips up, waiting for a kiss. Dean happily obliged.

“I’m holding you to that.” 

“I have no doubt that you will.” Cas let go of his waist and located his shoes and clean socks. Once he was fully dressed he helped Dean carry the presents downstairs. Gabe and Sam were placing the ones Mary was handing them neatly under the tree when they walked in. Dean carried his pile over to the tree and helped place them under the tree. Cas handed over the ones he had, and Dean put those under the tree too.

“I haven’t seen this many gifts under the tree in years. Not since you boys were little,” Mary said as she took a step back to observe the numerous gifts.

“Oh, I have something to give you early, Ma.” Dean went to the bag he had left on the couch with the preserves and opened it. His mother’s face lit up when he pulled the jars out.

“Thank you, Dean! You know how much I love your preserves!” She clutched the jars to her chest and hurried to the kitchen with them. Cas followed her.

“I brought you something too.” He held out one of the jars of honey he had been saving for himself. Her eyes lit up as she set down the preserves and accepted the honey.

“Oh, thank you, sweetie. You are such a lovely young man.” She turned the jar around in her hands, looking at the thick slice of honeycomb inside of it before putting it down and holding out her arms to him. He didn’t hesitate this time in hugging the woman. She squeezed him tight before letting him go. When she did, she reached up to run her fingers through his hair.

“I’ve read both of your books, and I took everything you wrote to heart. You are a brilliant young man and a gifted writer. I have to say, you also have excellent taste in men.” She winked and smiled at him, making him laugh. He sobered his expression and looked earnestly at her as he spoke.

“I want you to know, I love your son very much. I-I want to spend the rest of my life with him.”

She smiled and took his hands in hers, squeezing gently. “I know, honey, I can see it in your eyes every time you look at him, and I see it in his every time he looks at you. Trust me when I say, a mother knows these things. All I’ve ever wanted is for my boys to find the people that would make them happiest in the world, and I know Dean has found that with you. But sweetheart, let him make you happy too. That’s what brings him the greatest joy, being able to take care of the ones he loves. He’s a nurturer. But he needs to be taken care of as well, despite what he might say. You’ll do that for my boy, I just know it. Take good care of my son.”

Cas swallowed around the lump in his throat and nodded. “I promise I will.” 

Mary smiled brightly and picked up the jar of honey again. “I can’t wait to have this with toast for breakfast tomorrow. That means I need to wake before Dean,” she laughed.

“I don’t know how he can wake so early and be happy about it,” he grumbled.

“Hey, I heard that,” Dean said as he walked into the room. He came up behind Cas and wrapped his arms around the man’s waist. Resting his head on Cas’ shoulder, he smiled at his mother. “Cas, you gave her honey? You know she’s going to adopt you now, right?”

Cas laughed and placed his hands over the ones around his waist. “I’d be perfectly ok with that. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a mother.” He smiled at Mary and she smiled back.

“Dean says you want to help me bake later. Do you still want to do that?” she asked.

“Yes! Anything you want to make, I’ll help,” he replied eagerly.

“Alright then. Sam says you boys are heading out, but what do you say we make one of Dean’s favorites when you get back? Apple strudel,” she said.

“I would love to help with that.” 

“Good. I’ll have everything ready, and we can bake this evening after dinner.” She took the jar of honey and the preserves over to a cabinet in the corner, setting them on the shelf inside.

“I look forward to being the taste tester.” Dean kissed the side of Cas’ neck, making him shiver.

“I plan to follow your mother’s instructions so that it actually comes out edible,” he laughed.

“You’ll do great. My mom taught me how to do all the baking that I do. You’ll be a pro by the end of the week, I swear,” Dean assured him.

“You guys ready to go?” Sam asked from the doorway.

“Yeah, sure.” Dean reluctantly let go of Cas and turned to look at his brother.

“Is Gabe coming?” Cas asked.

“No, Frank talked him into watching a game, but he says he’ll go out with us tomorrow if we go out,” Sam replied.

“Ok, well, let’s get going,” Dean said. Cas nodded. He was looking forward to an afternoon out with Dean and Sam.


	16. A Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas and Gabe are quickly becoming welcome members of the Winchester-Cameron home, and joining in on their family traditions.
> 
> Dean gives Cas an early birthday present.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy, fluffy, fluffy. I hope you like it.
> 
> ***To those that got the notification that the chapter posted, and then the link didn't work, I apologize!!! The chapter was repeating lines, so my beta fixed the text and it's back up now! So sorry everyone!
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you Monijune, you're a Godsend!

They spent the afternoon traveling around the city, visiting different landmarks that carried memories for the Winchester brothers, and Cas loved hearing their stories. By the time they got back the sun had long since set and they were ready to be in the nice, warm house. They stomped the snow off their shoes at the door and hung up their coats. Mary met them in the hall with a smile.

“Dinner’s almost done, why don’t you go wash up? And maybe warm up a bit too. Look at the three of you! Your cheeks are so rosy!”

“I need a hot shower but I’ll do that later,” Sam said as he rubbed at his arms.

“You guys had a nice afternoon?” Frank said as he joined his wife in the hall.

“Yep. We took Cas around and showed him different places. The high school, the hospital, and where you and mom had your first date,” Dean replied. Mary smiled fondly at her husband. He pulled her close and kissed her cheek.

“Good places to visit,” Frank said.

“It’s lovely here. I think I like Kansas,” Cas told them.

“It has its charm,” Mary said.

“Hey, anyone want some hot chocolate to warm up?” Dean asked. Both his brother and boyfriend nodded eagerly. “Ok, go relax in the living room, I’ll make some.”

Cas followed Sam into the living room where Gabe was sitting watching the last quarter of a football game. He moved over to make room for the other two men. Dean followed his mother into the kitchen while Frank returned to the living room.

“I like him,” she said as she went about chopping vegetables for dinner.

“I’m glad. He’s really fantastic,” Dean said as he took out a saucepan and filled it with milk.

“You two are pretty serious?” She asked.

“I heard what he said earlier. And yes, we are. We’ve briefly discussed kids but more recently we talked about getting married. Not just yet, but someday. He has plans for his next book, and I need to get the new shop open and fully staffed. And I want to save up for a ring. Everything I have now is going into the shop, and then I’ll have loans to pay back, and Bobby. I’ll be pretty broke for the next couple of years.” He found the cocoa powder and sugar and added the proper amounts to the simmering milk.

“I’m happy for you, baby boy. I think Cas is perfect for you, and that you’re perfect for him. I’m happy you felt he was important enough to bring home to meet your dad and me. Frank likes him too.” She took the chopped vegetables and added them to the saucepan full of water on the stove.

“Good. I never met anyone worth bringing home to meet you guys until Cas. I can’t begin to tell you how amazing he is. I’ve loved people before but I’ve never been in love, not like this. When I look at him, I see my future. I can’t wait to be out in Montana with him permanently,” he sighed. He took down six mugs and poured the hot chocolate into them before seeking out the miniature marshmallows he knew his mother had in the cabinet. He added them to the cups.

“Gabe made a suggestion that was the best thing I’d heard. We were just going to continue to text and Skype until I got everything in Chicago worked out and I could head out to Montana, but Gabe suggested that Cas and I alternate taking turns visiting each other on the weekends. So I’m going to make a doctor’s appointment when I get home, to get some kind of anti-anxiety medication so I don’t have a stroke flying,” he explained. Mary turned to look at him, her surprise apparent.

“You’re going to fly out to Montana twice every month until you can move out there? That right there tells me how serious you are about him. I have to say, I’m impressed.” She took a tray down and helped him put all the cups except her own onto it.

“I love him, Ma. I can’t spend four months away from him,” he replied simply. As he picked the tray up and started out of the room she watched him go. A single thought was running through her head: Her little boy was all grown up.

Dinner was wonderful for Cas, full of conversation, jokes, and good food. He could tell that his brother was enjoying himself too. Dinners in their home growing up had been stiff, formal affairs where the only person who spoke was his father, or someone asking for something to be passed. This was what he had always dreamed of, and as the meal progressed he found himself thinking about what meals would be like for him and Dean when one day they had a family of their own seated around the table. He wanted this badly, the love and openness. He wants for Dean to never doubt how much he loves him, and for their children to know how much they are loved as well. Sam and Gabe cleared the table and as Mary brought out a pie she had made the day before for tonight’s dessert, Cas found Dean’s hand under the table and linked his own with his boyfriend’s. Dean was sitting close and he leaned close, pressing a kiss to Cas’ shoulder through his shirt. Cas loved that Dean wasn’t afraid to be affectionate in front of his family. He leaned back against Dean’s chest as he ate the slice of pie Mary put on his plate and Dean put an arm around his waist.

“You staying downstairs for the movie?” Sam asked.

“Yeah, I’ll just grab a throw blanket for us first,” Dean replied.

When dessert was done, the plates were all put in the sink and everyone headed for the living room. Cas found a spot on the couch and when Dean returned with a throw blanket he let the man slide in behind him so that he could snuggle back against him. Dean fixed the blanket over their legs before wrapping his arms around Cas. Sam and Gabe were sitting on the loveseat while Mary and Frank sat in their matching recliners on the opposite side of the room. The movie turned out to be the new Mad Max, and everyone’s attention was riveted to the screen. Moments like this made Cas feel content and safe. He was secure in the arms of the man he loved, and he knew everything was going to be alright.

When the movie ended Mary led Cas to the kitchen. They had put off making the strudel bread but Cas was eager to work with Mary and learn from her. Dean thought he would talk with his brother and Gabe while Cas baked, but they were engaged in what looked to him to be a quiet but serious conversation and he didn’t want to interrupt. Frank had left to take a shower before bed so Dean folded up the throw blanket and took it up to his room. He missed Charlie so he decided to Skype her. She wasn’t online so he texted her.

Dean: Hey, Red, get on Skype.

It took a few minutes before she answered.

Charlie: Why? Everything ok?

Dean: Everything’s fine. Just miss you.

Charlie: I’ll be on in five.

Dean turned his own computer on and loaded the app. He waited and a few minutes later the line was ringing.

“Hey,” he greeted her when her face appeared on the screen.

“Hey yourself. So you missed me? I miss you too, to be honest. It’s not the same here without you. So how was Montana?” she asked.

“Montana is cold but it’s awesome. I can’t wait to be there permanently,” he replied.

“So everything is working out with Cas then? You’ve hardly texted me all week. I feel like I’m in the dark,” she pouted.

“I know, I’m sorry. Honestly, we spent a lot of time just getting to know each other, and I spent a lot of my time going over plans for the shop and hashing out numbers. But the old man took the first offer I gave, which means I will have more money to work with for updates and repairs, so I’m glad. And Cas and I were making plans too. We’re putting in a second garage so I can work on classic cars at the house, and doing some updates to make the ranch a bit more environmentally friendly but also more efficient. I can’t wait to bring you out there so you can see it. I spent a lot of time out in the barn with the horses. I think they really like me,” he said.

“Horses? I love horses! Can I play with them when I come out?” she asked.

“One of us can take you riding. He only has two.” Dean stretched out on the bed.

“Where is he that you’re in your room talking to me?”

“He’s baking with my mom. It’s her time to bond with him, and he needs that. His own mother was a piece of shit and never did anything with him. And then they disowned him, so my mom is happy to step in and mother him. He’s eating up the attention; I know he has craved it his entire life. Mom loves him, by the way.” He was happy about that. Mary’s opinion meant everything to him.

“Of course she does. Cas is a great guy. I can’t wait to meet him in person.” Charlie pulled a bowl over from somewhere that had been out of camera range. He could see it was ice cream.

“We’re talking about getting married, Red,” he told her. She nearly choked on the spoonful of ice cream she’d just put in her mouth.

“What?!”

“Not now of course, but down the road. We both have goals we want to reach before we like formally do the ring part. He’s getting ready to put out his third book, and I want to get the new shop up and running. Money’s going to be tight for a while once I open the garage, and I want to save up some money to get him a really nice ring. From there we’ll figure out the rest. I just know that I want to spend the rest of my life with him. Char, I love him so much it hurts. I’ve never loved anyone this much in my life.”

Charlie pushed her bowl aside and folded her hands in front of her. She leaned closer to the camera so he could see her clearly.

“Tell me I’m going to be your best man,” she said.

He barked out a laugh and dropped his head into his hands. When he finally looked up he could see her familiar cheesy grin. “Char, you know that right goes to Sammy. But you’ll be my best girl. You’ll always be my best girl,” he said sincerely. She giggled at that.

“I will only hold that title until you have little girls of your own and you know that.”

The bedroom door opened and Dean looked up to see Cas walking in. “Hey, babe,” he greeted the man.

“What are you doing up here?” Cas asked.

“I wanted to see how Charlie was doing.” Dean pointed at the computer screen.

“Hi, Cas!” Charlie called out. Cas moved around the side of the bed and sat down next to Dean so he could see the screen. She waved at him.

“Hello, Charlie, how are you?” he asked.

“Bored! Dorothy’s at work right now and I have an ethics paper the first day back after break. I already got an extension on it, so it has to get finished,” she moaned. Cas chuckled and stretched out next to Dean, pressing his body close.

“I don’t miss my days of going to school. If you ever need help though, you know how to reach me,” he told her.

“And I thank you very much for that. I can finish this one on my own though. I just don’t want to,” she sighed.

“So you are driving down on the twenty third?” Cas asked. She nodded.

“Dorothy’s boss wouldn’t let her off before that.”

“I look forward to meeting you both in person,” Cas said. She smiled and nodded.

“Me too!”

They talked for a few more minutes before Charlie had to go, and then Dean turned the laptop off.

“So why did you really come up here?” Cas asked. He turned on his side and propped himself up on one elbow to look at Dean.

“That was the truth. Gabe and Sam were talking and I didn’t want to interrupt, and I wanted to give you the time alone with my mom so you guys can get to know one another. Frank went to take a shower and I was bored, so I came to bug Charlie.” Dean set the laptop on the floor and rolled onto his back. He folded his arms behind his head and looked up at Cas.

“I like your mother very much. She’s so caring. I see where you get that from.” Cas placed his hand on Dean’s stomach, slipping his fingers under the edge of his tee shirt so that he could touch the skin beneath.

“She is great, and she really likes you. I knew she would though,” Dean said.

Cas moved closer, fitting his body against Dean’s side and placing his head on his boyfriend’s shoulder.

“She asked me about my childhood. I let it slip that my brother raised me from the age of fourteen, but I’d really rather her not know the details of that year after I left my parents.”

Dean brought an arm out from under his head and put it around Cas’ shoulders, pulling him closer. “You don’t have to tell anyone anything that you don’t want to. It’s none of their business, including my mother’s. That’s your past, not theirs. I understand why, and I fully support you. If anyone presses you on that issue I’ll put them in their place.”

Cas tilted his head back enough so that his lips met Dean’s. “Thank you, sweetheart.”

They laid there for a while, content just to be close to one another. Cas was fighting an impending sense of melancholy that seemed to grow with each day that passed. He didn’t want Dean to go back to Chicago. He didn’t want to be away from him ever again. He moved as close as he possibly could, wrapping himself tight around the man he loved.

“Hey, are you ok?” Dean brought his other hand down to run it through Cas’ hair. He could feel how tense the man was and it worried him.

“Yes. No. I don’t know,” Cas mumbled.

“Well let’s start with the no part. Did my mom say something to upset you?” Dean asked.

“No, not at all, she’s wonderful,” Cas said quickly.

“Then what is it?” Dean didn’t want to push too hard but it worried him to see Cas like this.

“I’m not having an easy time knowing that when this week is over, I have to go home without you.” Cas shuddered and pressed his face against Dean’s shoulder but his tears were quickly soaking into the cotton of Dean’s shirt.

“Baby, please don’t cry. Come here.” Dean pushed Cas back enough so he could sit up. Cas moved into his lap so Dean could hug him close. “It’s not forever. But I have to get Benny up to speed. If I left now, the shop would fail, and I need it to succeed, that’s my legacy. I’m inheriting it. So Benny has to run it the way I want it run. If you weren’t still teaching I’d just take you back with me, but honey, you have a job too, and you’re good at it. Your students need you. We’ll see each other every weekend, ok? And we will continue to Skype every night. Cas, I love you, I’m not leaving you or giving up on us.”

“I know, and it’s stupid that I am feeling like this, but I miss you already and you’re not even gone yet.” Cas let out another choked sob and Dean held him tighter. Someone knocked at the door.

“Not now!” Dean said a little too harshly.

“Is everything ok?” It was Mary.

“Yeah, Ma, but now is not a good time,” Dean called back.

“Alright.” They heard her footsteps retreating and Dean breathed a sigh of relief. As a kid if she had sensed he was upset she would have opened the door and come in anyway. She was counting on him to handle this on his own, and he knew he could.

“Hey, it’s only the twentieth, but I want to give you one of your presents now, if that’s ok,” Dean said. Cas lifted his head and wiped at his eyes.

“Why?”

“Because I want to. And…it has special meaning to me, and hopefully will to you as well,” Dean replied. “So can I give it to you?” Dean wiped at a tear that had slipped down Cas’ cheek.

“O-ok,” Cas agreed. Dean kissed his forehead before extricating himself from Cas’ grip and getting up from the bed. He went to his bag and opened it.

“I thought you brought all the gifts downstairs earlier.” Cas crawled to the edge of the bed to watch him.

“Not this one. I wasn’t planning to give you this one in front of my family.” Dean pulled out a small, gift wrapped box and returned to the bed with it.

“It’s not an engagement ring, so don’t freak out, ok? But it holds special meaning to me, and I wanted to extend that to you because you mean everything to me, baby.” He looked down at the box for a moment before holding it out for Cas to take.

“What is it?” Cas asked.

“A promise.”

Cas looked up at him curiously before unwrapping the small box. It was definitely not a ring box, he could tell that just by the shape, but something was rattling around inside which just raised his curiosity even more. He set the shredded paper aside and opened the box. What was inside was not something he had expected.

“Dean…” He pulled the necklace from the box and held it up. It was silver and there was a pendant hanging from the end. Setting the box aside he caught the swinging pendant with his free hand. It appeared to be black enamel but in the center, in silver was the same symbol as Dean’s tattoo, the one he shared with Sam. He remembered what Dean had said about the tattoo. A promise that they would always protect one another. This was Dean’s promise that he would protect him, too.

“Turn it over,” Dean said softly. Cas turned the pendant over and as he read the words engraved there he felt his vision begin to blur with more tears.

“Oh…Dean…” Engraved on the back of the pendant were the words “ _For As Long As You’ll Have Me_ ”. Cas’ hands began to shake as he held it up. “Help me put it on?”

Dean motioned for him to turn around. Cas handed the necklace to him and Dean secured it around his neck.

“Thank you, darling, it’s beautiful. I never want to take it off.” Cas sniffled and wiped at his eyes again. Dean wrapped his arms around the man’s waist and pulled him back against his chest.

“The only time this is coming off is for showers or if I’m under a car because there’s no way I want this getting dirty or ruined, but it’s staying in my pocket when it’s not on my wrist.” Dean held up his wrist, admiring the leather bracelet that rested there. “God I love you so much.” He kissed the side of Cas’ neck, nuzzling against the warm skin and breathing in the familiar scent that was just so Cas.

“I love you too, Dean. So very much.” Cas turned so that he was facing Dean and straddling his lap.

“I want to go online today and buy my tickets,” Cas told him. Dean grinned before kissing the tip of his nose.

“I would argue that you’re being premature, but it’s probably a good idea. Tickets will go fast when people start heading home after the holidays.”

“If they’re sold out, you can bet your ass I’ll drive it. I’m not staying in Montana,” Cas replied firmly. There was a fire in his eyes that thrilled Dean. Such determination!

“Ok, so let’s do that now, huh? Make sure. Maybe we should buy all of our tickets for the month, just to be safe.” Dean let go of Cas so he could grab the laptop and once it was back on the bed they sat down side by side as Dean looked up the different airlines. Just as he had feared, most were booked solid, but there were a couple that had seats available for the weekend after Christmas.

“Oh! I just thought of something!” Cas exclaimed.

“What?” Dean asked, looking over at him.

“I don’t go back to work until the 7th!”

Dean realized what he was saying and grinned wide. “So you maybe want to go back to Chicago with me? Spend the week at my place? I still have to go to work, I can’t avoid that, but I can introduce you to people and we’ll have the evenings together.” Cas nodded eagerly.

“Yes! I still have to pay for my brother’s flight home, but I can go up to Chicago with you. Why didn’t I think of this sooner?!” Cas ran his fingers through his hair in aggravation.

“Hey, you were too concentrated on the time we’d be apart to think about the fact that you had another week available. This is a good thing. You and Charlie can get to know one another better, and you’ll get to meet Dorothy too. And Bobby is dying to meet you, though he’ll never come out and say that,” Dean said with a laugh.

“So, then we fly back together the following weekend?” Cas asked. Dean nodded.

“Right, and for the first flight I’ll be taking in years I’m glad I’ll have you there with me.” Dean took Cas’ hand and squeezed it. “We’re going to be ok. We’ll survive the next couple of months and then this stress will be done with, ok?” Cas nodded. Dean leaned towards him, touching his forehead to Cas’. “Do you feel better now? Are you ready to go back downstairs?”

“Yeah, I think I am.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was looking for something special that Dean could give to Cas, something with meaning that was, for now, as good as an engagement ring. When Sam sees it, he'll know the meaning behind it, and even he will know just how much Cas means to his brother. I do hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Leave a comment, please, I love them. I know I'm a little behind on responding to them, but...it's been a hectic last couple of days. But I'm getting to them as soon as this chapter is up. I love you guys so much!


	17. Massages and Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas aches the morning after spending all night on his feet in the kitchen and Dean takes care of him. After, they head to breakfast with the family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sweet fluff and family bonding. Y'all know you love this stuff.

Cas was grateful that no one mentioned his red rimmed eyes or the wet spots on Dean’s tee shirt. Everyone acted normal and Cas went to help Mary in the kitchen some more. Frank had gone to bed and oddly enough, his brother and Gabe were gone when he settled down onto the couch to watch some television. He was happy to have the TV all to himself, even if it was only for a little while.

It was nearing midnight when Cas finally wandered out of the kitchen looking thoroughly exhausted. His mother looked tired as well. There were new, delicious scents wafting out of the kitchen and Dean knew they’d found something else to bake. Cas sat down next to him and held up a cookie.

“First ones I’ve ever really made. Your mom supervised me but I made them.” He said. Dean accepted the cookie and bit into it.

“It’s really good.” He meant it too. His mother’s chocolate chip cookie recipe was to die for and Cas had followed it exactly. Cas smiled before pulling his legs up under him and snuggling against Dean. Before Dean had even finished the cookie he felt how heavy Cas’s head was getting and he realized the man had fallen asleep.

“Is he ok?” Mary knelt down next to the couch and whispered softly so as not to wake Cas.

“He’s better. We weren’t fighting, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Dean whispered back.

“Didn’t think you were. I noticed the necklace. You gave him that for Christmas?” She nodded towards the pendant that was peeking out from Cas’ shirt.

“Yeah. It’s sort of a promise until I can formally propose. He gave me this too, before we left Montana.” He held out his arm so she could see the leather bracelet.

“You think you’ll propose?” She asked, smiling at her son.

“I know I will. But we’re not rushing things. We have a plan.” He told her.

“I can’t express how happy I am for you both. Just so you know, as soon as that ring is on his finger and one of you takes the other’s name, I’ll be asking for grandchildren.” She winked and ruffled his hair before standing up. He chuckled softly and shook his head.

“I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.” 

“You should take him up to bed. He worked hard in the kitchen tonight. He wants so badly to bake the things he knows you love. It’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen.” She smiled fondly down at Cas’ sleeping form before leaving the room.

Dean gently shook Cas but the man was dead to the world. He managed to get his arms under him and scooped him up.

“Wha…?” Cas’ eyes flew open and he grabbed on to Dean’s shirt as he found himself being carried towards the stairs.

“You wouldn’t wake up, sweetheart, I’m carrying you up to bed.” Dean told him. Cas sighed and closed his eyes again as he leaned his head on Dean’s shoulder. He was exhausted.

Up in the bedroom Dean laid the man out in the bed and pulled his shoes off before working his jeans down his hips. Cas snorted in his sleep but didn’t wake up again. Dean smiled as he tucked the blankets around the man. He went about his own nightly routine and soon he was slipping into the bed and wrapping himself around Cas. Even asleep Cas scooted closer, a contented sigh escaping his lips. This was something Dean wanted badly, he realized. He wanted this closeness, to spend the rest of his life with this man wrapped in his arms. With a heavy sigh of his own he realized the next several months were going to really suck. He really hoped Benny was a fast learner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The following morning Cas woke first. He stretched and rolled over to find Dean still asleep next to him. Sitting up on his elbows he looked around. He didn’t remember coming up to the bedroom last night. The last thing he remembered was sitting down next to Dean on the couch after baking two dozen chocolate chip cookies and closing his eyes. Had Dean carried him up here? The thought brought a smile to his lips. He went to roll onto his side and winced. His back was sore from standing so long in the kitchen last night. The sound made Dean’s eyes pop open and he looked over at him.

“Are you ok, babe?” Dean sat up on one elbow and rubbed at his eyes.

“My back, the muscles are pulled from spending like six hours standing in the kitchen last night.” Cas moaned as he dropped back onto the bed.

“I can fix that.” Dean yawned and sat up completely. “But first I need to pee.”

“So do I.” Cas winced again as he sat up. Dean came around the side of the bed and helped Cas up. 

They both headed to the bathroom, Dean waiting patiently in the hall for Cas to pee and brush his teeth before they switched. When they reached the bedroom Dean told Cas to take off his shirt and lie down on his stomach. The man quickly obeyed and a moment later Dean was straddling his thighs.

“Massage?” Cas asked, his voice muffled by the pillow.

“Yep.” 

A moment later Cas heard the top to a bottle opening and the room filled with the scent of citrus. He moaned as Dean started at his shoulders, kneading the tight muscles there before slowly working his way down his spine and across his back.

“Oh….feels soooo goooood….” Cas moaned. It felt like heaven. He could feel his bones turning to jelly as every taught muscle released the tension they were clinging to. Dean’s hands, so very gentle most of the time were proving to be firm and well versed already in Cas’ body. Someone knocked on the door.

“Come in.” Dean called out.

“Whoa…am I interrupting something?” Gabe was actually shielding his eyes and hovering just inside the room.

“Get your mind out of the gutter, he pulled some muscles in his back last night while he was on his feet baking. I’m just giving him a massage.” Dean said, smirking at the man. Gabe dropped his hand, his eyes bright.

“Apple strudel?”

“And chocolate chip cookies. And we made dough for sugar cookies, but we were too exhausted last night to finish those, so we’ll make them either today or tomorrow.” Cas added.

“Sweet!” Gabe rubbed his hands together excitedly and Cas turned his head so he could look at his brother.

“I didn’t make enough for you to go eating them all, so don’t be a pig.” 

“Party pooper.” Gabe pouted.

“What brings you in here?” Dean asked.

“Oh, Mary sent me to see if you guys wanted to join us for breakfast. We’re heading to some family restaurant in town.” 

“Webber’s?” Dean asked.

“I think that’s the name.” Gabe replied.

“When is everyone leaving?”

Gabe shrugged. “Sam’s in the shower and Frank is still getting dressed, so maybe a half hour?”

“Ok, we’ll be done by then.” Dean hadn’t stopped kneading Cas’ back and his boyfriend’s eyes had drifted closed, though he was still moaning each time Dean hit a sore spot. Gabe snickered and shook his head.

“Lucky bastard.” He muttered before leaving the room.

“Yes…I am.” Cas sighed happily. Dean leaned down to kiss between the man’s shoulder blades.

“Feeling better?” He asked.

“Much.” Cas replied. Dean patted his back before climbing off of him. He had just barely sat down on the bed before Cas was on top of him.

“Cas!” He cried as his legs were pulled out from under him and he landed on his back.

“Yes, love?” 

“What are you doing?” Dean looked up through long lashes and it made Cas’ heart beat faster.

“I’m apologizing for yesterday.” Cas replied simply. Dean reached up to stroke his cheek.

“Babe, you don’t have to, it’s ok to be scared.”

“Not for that. I made a promise that we’d pick up where we’d left off yesterday morning, except I fell asleep on you. Speaking of, how did I get up here last night?” Cas asked.

“I carried you. You fell asleep almost the moment you sat down next to me last night and I couldn’t get you to wake up, so I scooped you up and carried you up here bridal style.” Dean replied.

“So big and strong.” Cas purred as he tugged on Dean’s tee shirt, pulling it over his head.

“I try.” Dean grinned up at him. Cas splayed his fingers over the bare skin on his boyfriend’s chest, taking a moment to admire the freckles that dusted his chest and shoulders. It was one of his favorite things about Dean’s body.

“You just going to stare or we going to get this show on the road? I guarantee someone else will be knocking in a few minutes, and Sam doesn’t always stay in the hall when he knocks.” Dean said. 

Cas got up and went to lock the door. Dean watched him go, smiling when Cas paused only long enough to dispose of his boxers and shirt before climbing back into the bed and straddling his legs again.

“You are absolutely gorgeous.” Dean put his hands on the sharp bones of Cas’ hips and rubbed them lightly with his thumbs. He couldn’t get enough of touching this man’s body.

“And yet I’m the one that everyone is jealous of.” Cas mused.

“I’m a novelty that will wear off once everyone realizes I’m not going anywhere, and that my heart is already taken.” Dean found Cas’ hands and pulled them up so he could kiss first one palm and then the other. He loved Cas’ hands. Had the man wanted to, he could have been a surgeon with how long and delicate his fingers were. 

“You’ll never be a novelty to me.” Cas told him.

Dean smiled up at him. “Ok, enough sweet talk, now get my boxers off and let’s get this show on the road.” He ground up against Cas for added emphasis.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Their lovemaking wasn’t as slow and elegant as either of them liked, but it fulfilled the burning need within them both, and just as Dean had predicted, less than two minutes after they’d finished Sam was knocking at the door, asking them if they were ready. 

“Almost!” Dean yelled.

“Hurry up, mom wants to leave!” Sam yelled back. Cas had gotten them both cleaned up and gone to fish clothes out of their bags for them both. This time he chose to wear a plaid button down with a red sweater. Dean settled on a Henley and a plaid shirt. When they were dressed they headed downstairs. Mary smiled warmly at them both.

“Alright, two cars! Dean, you follow us!”

 

The restaurant was a five minute drive from the house and Dean pulled into the parking lot first. Gabe and Sam had actually chosen to ride with Mary and Frank so it was just him and Cas.

“Is it just me or are Gabe and my brother getting along quite well?” Dean asked as they got out and started for the door.

“My brother holds a degree in psychology. He doesn’t talk about it but he’s working on his doctorate. He wants to do therapy. Not that he is looking at Sam as a clinical subject or anything, but he’s a really good listener. I heard them talking yesterday, only tidbits of the conversation, but Sam was explaining how hard things have been since Jess died. Gabe was listening because that’s what Sam needed, a neutral party, someone that didn’t know Jess personally. Someone that wouldn’t look at him with sympathy. Sometimes you just need that kind of objectivity.” Cas told him. Dean nodded. 

“Yeah, I guess. I mean, I’m here if he wants to talk, but I get it. I knew Jess, and I miss her too. She really was a sweet kid. Maybe I look at him that way. I’m glad he feels comfortable enough with Gabe to talk to him. He needs that.” Frank’s truck pulled into the parking lot just as they reached the door so they waited for the rest of the group to join them. 

They were seated at a large, U shaped booth that overlooked the entire restaurant and Dean found Cas’ hand under the table. Cas looked at him and smiled as their fingers threaded together.

“Hey, is that…” Sam pointed at the pendant hanging from the necklace around Cas’ neck. 

“Yes, it is.” Dean replied. Sam grinned.

“Sweet. You really are part of the family.” 

Cas gave one of his gummy smiles that Dean loved seeing. 

“Oh, the tattoo you boys have, right?” Mary asked. She pulled out her glasses and slid them on so she could see the pendant better. “Oh, is that enamel? I like that.”

“No, enamel will eventually chip off. It’s Obsidian. I had it made special.” Dean said.

“I got him a bracelet for Christmas.” Cas said softly.

“Oh?” Frank looked over at Dean who held his arm up. With a flick of his wrist his shirts slid back enough to show the strip of leather.

“That’s more like a cuff. I like that.” Sam said. What does the little plaque say?”

“Forever.” Cas replied shyly. No one said a word about that. None were needed. Dean pulled his hand from Cas’ and wrapped it around his waist instead, pulling him closer. He missed the look of amusement Sam and Gabe seemed to share.

A server appeared with menus in hand, startling them all with her squeal.

“Dean Winchester? Is that you?” She gasped. Dean looked up, his eyes widening and a warm smile already forming on his lips.

“Tessa? Hey, how have you been?” He asked. She smiled and shrugged.

“I’ve been ok, I guess. How have you been? You back in Kansas now?”

“Oh, no. I’m just here for the holidays. I’m actually moving out of Chicago and to Montana at the moment.” He replied. She raised an eyebrow at that.

“Montana? What on earth has you wanting to move to Montana?” 

“This man right here. Tessa, this is my boyfriend, Cas. Cas, this was my high school biology partner, and partner in crime in general, Tessa.” Dean introduced. 

“Hello, Tessa.” Cas nodded politely and smiled. Dean quickly introduced everyone else at the table. She said hello to each of them before turning her attention back to him.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“Tell you what?” The words left his mouth a second before her words registered in his head. He held up a hand and shook his head.

“Yeah, wasn’t telling anyone back then. My dad and all…I know you get it.” 

She nodded, her smile soft and sympathetic. “Well I’m happy for you. Montana, huh? Are you up in the mountains?” She asked Cas.

“At the base of one actually. The view from my back window is breathtaking. It’s why I bought the place.” He replied.

“Sounds nice. What are you doing now, Dean? Still building cars?” She asked.

“I’ve been running an auto shop in Chicago that my friend is going to take over because I just bought my own shop out in Montana.” 

“Wow, you’ve done well for yourself.” She almost seemed a bit sad but she quickly shook it off. “I’m still in school trying to get my degree to teach elementary school. Two more years to go.”

“Good for you. Hang in there and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it.” He told her. She smiled brightly and looked around the table.

“You all ready to order?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Leave a comment, you all know I love them, and I love you guys!


	18. The Arrival of Charlie and Dorothy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie and Dorothy arrive and the family continues to bond. Emotions become a bit too much for Cas and he needs a breather.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not as bad as it sounds, relax....

Breakfast was pleasant and conversation inevitably turned to football. There was a game on that afternoon and Frank was recruiting all of the men to watch it with him. Dean knew he’d escape later to help his mother with the baking and his stepdad wouldn’t mind. Cas on the other hand jumped into a conversation on statistics and his Superbowl predictions and Dean found it highly entertaining to watch his boyfriend get so animated. He liked football but apparently Cas loved it. And Frank was thrilled. Yeah, Dean was pretty sure his folks would be adopting Cas as one of their own before the week was over.

Back at the house Mary snagged Dean just as he knew she would and pulled him into the kitchen. Dean could still see the game from his station at the island where he was making a variety of pumpkin items. He whipped up the promised pumpkin cookies which were more like muffins than cookies with how soft and sponge like they were, as well as four pumpkin pies and two pumpkin cheesecakes. Mary was busy making six other varieties of cheesecakes. Tomorrow they would be handing them out to the neighbors; that much he already knew.

When the first batch of cookies were cool he carried a plate stacked high with them into the living room and set them on the coffee table along with beer and chips. Cas offered him a smile and mouthed a thank you before he was pulled back into the game again. Dean just chuckled and returned to the kitchen. 

“So when can we come see the house? I’ve never been to Montana.” Mary said once all the pies were in the oven.

“Well, I’d like to do a big barbecue this summer if the shop is doing well, maybe fly you guys out there to stay with us. But I was thinking, maybe we could do Christmas there?” He looked over at his mother. 

“I think I’d like that. We can bake in the kitchen?” She asked.

“Oh hell yeah. I’ve already been baking in it and I’ll continue to bake in it. Every weekend I’m out there I intend to make him at least a week’s worth of food so he doesn’t have to cook.” They moved the table and sat down across from one another. He liked having these talks with his mom. 

“You’re going to spoil him, you know that?” There was humor in her voice and it made him smile.

“He deserves it. He works hard and he’s never really had anyone to take care of him. His parents are a real piece of work. He’s not going to talk about them, but anyone that would give up on their son at the tender age of thirteen because he was gay, they’re a piece of shit in my book. Gabe did the best he could and I’ll do as much as I can for him too, he’s a good guy.” He said. Mary frowned. He knew it troubled her to hear how hard Cas’ life had been.

“It’s hard to believe he came from that kind of cruelty. He’s such a nice young man. I’m so happy you two found each other and that you fell in love. I never told you or Sam but…I met Frank online.” She admitted. Dean’s eyes widened and his jaw went slack with shock. He’d always believed his mother had met Frank somewhere like a grocery store or church.

“No way! Really?”

She nodded and glanced back over her shoulder to where her husband was sitting in his recliner, a beer in one hand, a cookie in the other. Her smile widened and when she looked back at Dean he could see just how in love she was with the man.

“It’s true. He lived in Oklahoma at the time. We met on a dating sight and started talking and he came to see me about a month after we started talking. He still says that he knew the moment we first met, I was the one. He sold his house, packed up his stuff and moved to Kansas. About three months later is when I let him meet you boys, and six months after that we were married. I don’t regret a single bit of it.” 

Dean’s eyes drifted over to the messy black hair sticking up over the back of the couch where Cas was sitting and he smiled. “Yeah, I met him completely by happenstance. Charlie suggested a website just to play around with roleplaying, and the first few people were idiots, but then Cas came in the chat and we immediately hit it off. Completely forgot we were supposed to be role playing. It was an anonymous site so our personal information wasn’t on there but when he said he had to go and take care of the bees I knew I didn’t want to let him go without at least getting his email address. So we exchanged them and he emailed me right away. It just went on from there. I didn’t think people were serious when they said they fell in love with people they met online but I knew I loved him long before I ever went out to meet him. It just feels like there was a piece of me missing, and he was that piece.”

“That’s how I feel about Frank. Your dad, he left a big hole in my heart, mostly due to his inability to accept you, and I felt so empty after he left. Frank, he makes me feel whole, and I know with him I am loved, and that you boys are loved. You know, on many occasions he’s told me he wishes you boys were biologically his. He loves you both very much.” The men in the living room erupted in cheers as a touchdown was made and Mary turned to look at her husband as he reached over to high five Cas. “And I think he is going to want to keep Cas forever after this.”

Dean laughed, he couldn’t help it. Cas looked at him over the back of the couch, his blue eyes twinkling with joy and Dean winked at him. Cas blew him a kiss before turning back to the game.

“I swear you better marry that man.” She said.

“Geez, ma, I’m twenty four, give me some time.” He laughed.

“I’ll have you know I was married at twenty one.” She pointed out.

“And divorced because he turned out to be an asshole. You didn’t marry properly until you were in your forties. I want to do this right. I know he’s the one I want to spend my life with, but I don’t want to rush anything. He tends to be rather spontaneous as it is. I’m the one that thinks everything through and plans out stuff. I’ve talked about what I want to do, with the shop, with the antique cars, and why I want to do it that way. I don’t want to be like John where I’m working all the time and never home so I don’t know what’s going on with my family. We want kids, and I want to be there for them. I don’t want Cas raising them on his own because I’m always at work, and I don’t want to miss anything as they grow up. It’s important to me that I’m there for all of it.” He explained.

“You are such a wise young man. I look forward to the day I get to hold my grandbabies in my arms and cuddle them. Just promise me you won’t wait til you’re both in your forties to make me a grandma? I don’t think I can wait that long.” She reached out and placed her palm against her son’s cheek. She remembered the days when he was just a little boy running around the house in his Superman cape with Sammy chasing after him. Someday he was going to make an amazing husband and father.

“Don’t worry, there will be grandkids. Don’t forget, Sammy’ll meet someone and settle down some day too.” He reminded her. She lowered her hand, covering the one he had on the table with it. 

“What will you do if Cas proposes first? I get the impression he’s already thinking about it as much as you are. Possibly more.” She said.

He shrugged. “If he beats me to it, I’ll say yes. Who does the asking isn’t important as long as it’s something we both want.”

“Good. I think I’m going to end up loving him. He’s so wonderful.” 

“Told him you’d want to adopt him.” He said with a chuckle.

“Will he become a Winchester?” She asked.

“You know, we didn’t discuss that, but I really like my last name. It’s a rifle after all.” He said, grinning. “But I don’t know how he feels on the matter. If he wants to do a hyphenated thing, we can do that I guess. It’s not that important to me as long as he’s mine forever.” He replied. The oven timer dinged, alerting them to the fact that the pies were done.

“Come on, let’s go finish. Tomorrow we’ll make a couple of cherry pies, and a pecan. Those will be just for our family though.” She got up and Dean followed her. He cherished these moments with his mother and as they pulled the pies from the oven he thought about all the memories he would be able to make now with Cas. It brought a smile to his face. Everything in his life was damn close to perfect.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cas accompanied Dean on the twenty third to go and pick Charlie and Dorothy up at the airport. He found it adorable how Dean was practically vibrating with excitement at his friend’s arrival. When he spotted her his hands shot in the air and he started yelling her name. Next thing he knew they were in each other’s arms. If he didn’t know any better he’d have sworn they’d just spent a year apart rather than a week.

“I missed you, Dean!” She cried as she wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed tight.

“I missed you too, Red.” He kissed the top of her head before finally letting her go.

“Geez, you’d think you guys had been away from each other for years.” Dorothy teased from where she stood behind her girlfriend.

“Oh shut up and come here.” Dean let Charlie go and pulled Dorothy into a hug. She laughed as she hugged him back. When he let her go he turned to Cas, his smile bright.

“Guys, this is Cas. Cas, I would like for you to formally meet Charlie and Dorothy.” He reached out to take Cas’ hand, pulling him closer. Charlie wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. It surprised him, but he hugged her back. 

“It’s great to finally meet you, Cas.” She said.

“Same here.” He told her. When she finally let him go Dorothy offered her hand and he shook it.

“Nice to meet you.” 

“Nice to meet you as well.” He nodded politely.

“Well come on, mom’s waiting to squeeze you both until you can’t breathe. Plus there are cookies and pie.” Dean grabbed Charlie’s bags while Cas reached for Dorothy’s.

“Oh, gentlemen.” Dorothy teased.

“I try.” Dean grinned.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The ride back to the house was dominated by Charlie talking a mile a minute but there were opportunities for everyone else to jump into the conversation and Cas found that he liked Charlie even more in person. When they got to the house Sam was waiting on the porch and the moment the Impala was parked he was at the car, pulling Charlie out and into his arms. She looked so tiny in his embrace it was almost comical, but there were tears in his eyes, and in hers as well that tore at both Cas and Dean. They went to get the bags out of the trunk while Sam led the girls inside. Of course Mary was waiting. By the time they got inside, Mary was hugging Charlie tight and kissing her forehead.

“She really is like your sister, isn’t she?” Cas remarked.

“Told you she was. Mom always wanted a girl. She got more than she bargained for with Charlie.” Dean laughed. 

They carried the bags down the hall to the den where the sofa bed was already pulled out, the bed neatly made. Cas took a moment to look at the myriad of pictures that adorned the walls. It brought a smile to his face as he saw how happy Dean and Sam looked in the pictures. A few of Dean as a teenager looked different though. He looked sadder in them.

“Was this when your dad left?” He asked, pointing to one of them. Dean looked up, the green color of his eyes darkening as he clenched his jaw.

“That’s when he was at his worst. Right before he left.” 

Cas looked at the picture again. 

“If we have kids, we’re accepting them as they are, no matter what.” 

“You mean when.” Dean corrected. Cas looked at him and smiled.

“Yeah, when.” 

Dean smiled and took Cas’ hand as they walked out of the room. They didn’t even reach the end of the hall before Charlie appeared.

“So we’re going to play World of Warcraft, and you dweebs are totally playing too.” She announced. Cas shrugged.

“I’m game.” Dean looked at him, one eyebrow arched high.

“You’re sure? Have you ever played before?”

“Yes, but not in a while. It’s not my favorite, but then again I didn’t have anyone fun to really play with.” Cas replied.

“Ok then…” Dean smiled at Charlie. “Let’s play.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They ended up playing until dinner time when Mary threatened to hang them all up by their toenails if they didn’t get their butts to the dinner table. Conversation turned out to be just as easy with Charlie and Dorothy there as it had been before they arrived, and Cas realized he was truly growing to care for Dean’s family. They were more than just his boyfriend’s family. As he listened to Sam and Dean banter about pranks they’d played as kids he found himself wondering if, when he and Dean finally married (There was no doubt in his mind that he was absolutely going to propose to Dean), Mary would insist that he call her mother. The very idea left him with a warm, fuzzy feeling. His own mother, if that was even what he could call her, had been cold and distant, even when he’d been little. There were no warm hugs or mugs of hot cocoa, no ruffling of his hair or wiping of his tears when he was in pain. What love he had received had come from Gabe, and he was grateful for the love his brother had showered on him all of his life. He looked over at his brother who was in an animated conversation with Charlie about candy (Why did that not surprise him?), and he couldn’t help but smile. This was the family he had always dreamed about. This was happiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so...for those of you that know me, it's getting about that time for you all to start buckling your seatbelts because serious stuff is about to go down next chapter. I do hope you like this chapter though. Leave me a comment, let me know what you thought.


	19. Overwhelmed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The feeling of closeness, of family is overwhelming for Cas and he needs to take a breather. 
> 
> Gabe lays some heavy stuff on Dean about Dick Roman. Dean was not prepared for this kind of news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not worry, Dean's not going anywhere! He's in love with Cas. Don't get your panties in a twist. Unless, you know, you LIKE twisting your panties. In that case, you're pretty kinky. Either way, I hope you like this chapter.

Suddenly feeling overwhelmed by emotion he excused himself and went up to Dean’s old bedroom. He sat down on the edge of his bed and pulled out his wallet. Tucked at the very back was a picture of him and his brother with their parents. He was just a baby in the picture, no more than three years old. It was the only picture he’d taken with him when he left their house. It was the only one he remembered ever seeing where his parents actually looked genuinely happy. He stroked his thumb over the image of his mother. She had been so lovely with her wavy, dark brown hair and pale blue eyes. He knew that was where his looks had come from, people had always told him that growing up. He sniffled as his vision began to blur. He found himself growing angry suddenly. Why couldn’t she just love him? Her own child? Why had she abandoned him when he needed her the most? Unable to hold back the tears, he broke down. His entire body was shaking with sobs as he rubbed angrily at his eyes. When he felt warm arms wrapping around him he didn’t even bother to open them. He knew it was Dean and he grabbed onto him.

“Baby, what’s the matter? Talk to me, please!” Dean pleaded. Cas couldn’t find the words he needed to express his anger and sorrow in that moment, so he just buried his face against Dean’s neck.

“Shhh, it’s ok. I’ve got you.” Dean moved up to sit on the bed and Cas crawled into his lap. He knew the man needed to be comforted, not questioned at that moment, so he continued to whisper soothing words as he rubbed his back. Somehow the soothing words turned into him humming, and then the lyrics to a song his mother had sung to him growing up flowed gently from his lips. Whenever he or Sam had been upset as children, Mary would sing Hey Jude to them. That was what Dean now found himself singing. After a while Cas grew heavy in his arms and he realized his boyfriend had fallen asleep. A soft knock at the open door made him look up.

“Is he ok?” Mary asked softly as she crossed the room and came to sit next to her son.

“I don’t know what happened. He seemed so happy at dinner, and then he left. I came up to find him crying. Like he was damn close to hysterical.” Dean whispered. Mary spotted something on the floor and leaned down to pick it up.

“Is this his family?” She asked, holding the picture up so Dean could see it.

“I guess so. I’ve never seen that picture before.” 

Mary’s heart broke as she looked at the picture. “He looks so much like his mother. She’s beautiful.” She murmured.

“Anyone that could turn their own child out, they’re anything but beautiful.” He hissed. Cas moaned and shifted in his arms but didn’t wake up. 

“Hey, is my brother-”

Gabe was standing the doorway, his brow furrowed when he saw his brother in Dean’s arms. He hurried over to the bed. 

“What happened?” He demanded. Mary hushed him.

“He’s upset. Let him rest.” She whispered. Gabe spotted the photo in her hand and his face fell.

“Shit, he still has that?” He took the picture when Mary offered it, his frown deepening into a scowl.

“Quiet. I’m going to stay here with him. You two go talk somewhere else.” Dean said, keeping his voice low. Mary nodded. As she stood up she paused long enough to kiss Cas’ forehead before taking Gabe by the arm. He handed Dean the picture before he left with Mary, closing the door softly behind them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dean pulled Cas’ shoes off before getting up and pushing back the covers. He laid Cas down and tucked him in before moving around to the other side of the bed and stretching out next to his boyfriend. He was reading a book on his phone when Cas stirred from his sleep a while later. His eyes blinked open slowly, feeling gritty and crusty. He groaned and wiped at them before rolling onto his back.

“Dean?” He asked when he spotted the man sitting next to him.

“Yes, sweetheart. Are you feeling better now?” Dean set his phone down and scooted down so that he could wrap an arm around the other man.

“What were you doing?” Cas asked. It worried him to see Dean on his phone. Was he texting someone about what had happened.

“Reading. I have Vonnegut on Kindle. I was just waiting for you to wake up.” Dean nuzzled against Cas’ cheek before placing a tender kiss against it.

“Oh.” He felt stupid for being paranoid. 

“What happened?” Dean asked softly. Cas turned to face him, cuddling as close as Dean would allow him. Any closer and they’d be morphing into a single being.

“I don’t know. One second I was thinking about how much I am growing to care about your family, and how wonderful they all are, and the next I was angry at my own family for shutting me out. This is what a family should be like. Mine was a parody of what a family should be like. There was no love, no tenderness. This…it’s what I wanted growing up. The only person that ever showed me any affection was my brother. He disagreed with how my parents raised us and he strove to be everything they weren’t. But shit, he was just a kid himself, and there was only so much he could do.”

“I know. My family, it’s great now but remember I told you, it wasn’t when my mom was still married to John. It was a nightmare. He was a drunk, beat the shit out of me when he wasn’t verbally abusive, and I took the hits so my mom and brother didn’t have to. I took the verbal abuse too. It was easier to be called a worthless, piece of shit, Nancy boy than it was to see my mother’s face when he called her a bitch or a cunt. I lucked out with my mother. Not so much with my father. But Frank more than makes up for that. It’s still a healing process, but…I’m getting there. And Cas, baby, you’re a part of this family now. You are loved and you are wanted.” He kissed Cas’ forehead gently and ran his fingers through the unruly dark locks on the man’s head.

“You know, my mom came up because she was worried about you? Not because she was nosey, but because she genuinely cares about you. You’re already loved and accepted. Your brother came to check on you too but my mom made him leave.” He said. Cas tilted his head back enough that he could look Dean in the eye.

“But you stayed.” It wasn’t a question.

“Honey, I’ll always stay. You needed me.” 

Cas felt the tears burning his eyes again but he refused to succumb to them a second time.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” He sighed.

“There’s nothing wrong with you. You were denied something vital to a child, and I am so terribly sorry that your parents didn’t know how to be what you needed the most. You’ve done fantastically without them though. You’re the most amazing man I know. And I know for a fact that one day, when you’re a father, you’ll love your kids with everything you have because you won’t want them to miss out on what you didn’t get yourself as a child. Cas, you wear your heart on your sleeve. It’s beautiful to see and just makes me love you even more.” Dean continued to stroke his fingers through his boyfriend’s hair as they laid quietly together. It was a long time before Cas finally spoke.

“I think…I’m going to take a shower and just relax up here for a while, if that’s ok.”

“Of course. I’ll let your brother know that you’re just going to take it easy tonight. I know he’s worried about you.” Dean sat back as Cas pulled away to sit up. He stripped off his sweater as he got up from the bed.

“Will you be downstairs?” Cas asked,

“Unless you need me up here.” Dean replied. Cas shook his head.

“No, I’ll be alright. I think I need a little time alone to process.”

Dean nodded as he grabbed his phone and got up from the bed. “Would you like me to bring you up a slice of pie later? Ma made cherry and pecan.” Cas’ eyes lit up.

“Oh, cherry please. Thank you.” 

“So polite.” Dean teased gently. He paused to kiss Cas as he headed out of the room. As soon as he reached the bottom step Gabe was all over him.

“Is he alright? How is he? What did he say?”

“Relax, he’s ok. I think he’s falling in love with my family and it made him remember what pieces of shit your folks are. It’s hard not to love my mom though, she’s pretty awesome.” Dean told him. Gabe smirked at that.

“She’s done more to make me feel welcome and accepted than my own parents ever did the entire time I lived with them, so yeah, I get it. Is he coming down though?”

“No, he’s taking a shower and then he wants some time alone. I’m bringing him up some pie later.” Dean headed towards the kitchen to cut himself a piece. When Gabe followed him he offered the piece to him and cut himself a new one.

“Thank you.” Gabe said as they settled at the kitchen table.

“So, you’ve been talking to Sammy. How’s he doing? Is he getting over Jess?” Dean asked.

“He is. I won’t’ break his confidence, but he’s been hurting pretty bad the last few months and has been internalizing his pain rather than talk about it. He just wants to talk to someone that won’t pity him, not that that’s what you’re doing, but he has enough self-pity going on at the moment. And…I enjoy our conversations. He’s very intelligent.” Gabe said.

“He told you he’s going to be a lawyer, right? Speaking of, Dick Roman called me last week. On my cell phone. Told me Cas was his boyfriend. I’m pretty sure it’s just a scare tactic, but it really pissed me off. I need to talk to Sam and see if there’s any legal moves I can make to keep him away from Cas and myself.” Dean finished his pie and slid his plate away. When he looked up he realized Gabe was staring hard at him. “What?” He asked.

“Dick Roman just called you out of the blue?”

Dean shrugged. “He texted Cas a few months ago and Cas told him to drop dead. Told the asshole that he was happy with me. I don’t think he used my name though, just told the jerk that he was in a relationship, so I don’t know for sure how he got my name or number. Cas thinks he did some illegal shit and got a hold of his phone records and tracked who he was calling the most. I think that’s pretty damn creepy though.”

“So that’s why you both changed your numbers?” 

“Yes.” Dean replied. Gabe frowned as he finished his slice of pie. When he was done he leaned closer and dropped his voice in case anyone else walked in the room.

“I’d be careful with Dick Roman. He’s an unpleasant man on a good day, and a nightmare on a bad one. I think part of the reason Cassie even agreed to go out with him is because Dick reminded him of our dad in some ways. Unfortunately he’s worse than our dad. Our dad was indifferent. Dick is selfish and cruel. He made my brother’s life a living hell. I was the driving force behind getting my brother to leave him. I was afraid Dick would do something to hurt him worse than he already had. Verbal abuse is only a step below physical abuse, and I witnessed on more than one occasion how bad Cas could push the man’s buttons. He threatened to kill my brother once if he dared to leave him. You do know who Dick is, right?”

“A lawyer, from what Cas said.” Dean replied. Gabe’s jaw clenched and he pressed his lips together so tight they almost disappeared.

“Dick Roman is an _Illinois state senator_.”

“What?!” Dean gasped. Why hadn’t Cas told him that?

“Hush. I don’t think my brother knows he won the election. You see, Dick has a plan. Senator, and then either next election or the one after that he plans to run for president. Despite being gay, he has a good chance of winning. His goal was to marry Cas so that he would have eye candy on his arm to show off to the world. A pretty man with a mild temperament that wouldn’t contradict him in public, and would appeal to the environmentalists and tree huggers. It was strategic, his choosing my brother. Cas already had his first book out when Dick approached him and asked him out. I think he specifically chose Cas. And he did not take it well when my brother left. He refused to move to Montana because of the upcoming elections that he hadn’t even announced yet that he was going to run in, and he insulted my brother terribly. Tried to guilt him into staying but I grabbed my brother and flew with him to Montana myself to make sure he bought that house. If he had the house, I knew that he wouldn’t go back. It worked. He was finally learning to be happy again, and then came into his life and made everything better. Dick will have to start all over again now. He will be running for president in either four, eight, or twelve years. It was his intention to have a long and, for all intent and purpose, a well-adjusted, loving marriage to my brother before he ran. The whole damn thing was a sham from the beginning. My brother was just blind. You need to watch your back. Dick is a wealthy man with means to obtain whatever life he wants. You are simply a pebble in his path and given the opportunity, he would stomp on you.”

Dean couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Cas had made Dick out to just seem like a jealous ex. He’d even insisted the man wasn’t a serious threat. Dean could hold his own against most people, including jealous ex-boyfriends, but against someone with access to national security? That made him feel paranoid. He didn’t like feeling paranoid.

“Why would Cas lie to me? He’s never lied before.” 

Gabe shook his head. “He doesn’t lie, but he has some coping mechanisms in place, self-preservation and all that. You have no idea how much therapy he’s had to endure because of our parents, and then Dick just made him sort of relapse. He did six months of it after they split up. I talked him into that one. I knew he’d be no good to anyone if he didn’t. I love my brother, and I know you’re the best thing that has ever happened to him. I’m just warning you to watch your backs.”

“What do you suggest I do?” Dean asked.

“I have no idea. Move to France? Though I think the moon might be better. I would say anything that draws attention to you and Cas being together would put a crimp in Dick’s plans to get Cas back.” Gabe replied.

“Wait, Cas said he didn’t think that’s what Dick was doing. I’m not going to let some rich bastard make my man’s life a living hell. He’ll have to go through me first.” Dean was angry. Who the hell did this Dick Roman think he was? You couldn’t control people and force them to do your bidding! No, he would do everything within his power to keep the smarmy bastard as far away from Cas as he possibly could. Gabe seemed to be re-appraising him.

“You sure you’re only twenty four, Dean? Because I think you might be more mature than Dick Roman himself.” He remarked.

“Well, twenty five next month. And someone has to be the grown up. If not Dick Roman, it will most certainly be me.” Dean said.

“Well, just let me know when the wedding is.” Gabe sat back and sighed.

“How did you…” Dean glanced towards the stairs which were just out of sight.

“Cassie already told me you’re it for him. He plans to propose sometime next year, but you didn’t hear that from me.” Gabe wagged his eyebrows which made Dean snort.

“Yeah, that puts a serious crimp in my plans then.”

“Whatever. So long as you two idiots are happy together, who does the asking is the least important factor.” Gabe waved his hand dismissively.

“That’s what I say too.”

“Wait, are you…going to propose to Cas?” Sam asked. He was standing by the fridge and neither man had seen him come in the room.

“That’s the plan. Unless he beats me to it. He’s a lot more spontaneous than I am.” Dean replied.

“Whoa…that’s…” Sam seemed to get lost in a memory for a moment before he shook his head and crossed the room to clap his brother on the back.

“Let me know when you do it. Or he does it. Does mom know?” 

Dean nodded. “Yeah. I think she’s ready to adopt Cas and keep him. And probably Gabe here too.” He chuckled.

“Hey, your mom is fantastic.” Gabe said. Sam looked at him and smiled. Something unsaid seemed to pass between the two men that Dean wasn’t quite getting. 

“She really is. Will you be back for Easter?” Sam asked. Gabe looked over at Dean.

“Guess that depends?”

“We will be back in March, yes.” Dean confirmed. “And you are more than welcome to join us. You are family after all.” Gabe smiled wide and Dean could see the family resemblance then. He and Cas shared the same happy smile.

“We’ll figure out the logistics by then. I’m going to make a phone call. I want to see if I can’t push up the timetable for moving.” Dean stood up and left. Sam took his empty seat.

“Dean’s adjusting his plan to move? Did he tell you why? He doesn’t normally do that.” Sam took a sip from the glass of orange juice he had poured for himself.

“Uh, yeah. My brother’s ex is stalking them. He doesn’t want to leave Cas out in Montana.” Gabe replied. Sam set down his glass and looked at him.

“Stalking?”

“You can’t do anything about it, unfortunately. The man stalking them is nearly untouchable, and very cunning. He’s a state senator.” Gabe replied. He gave Sam a quick synopsis of his brother’s previous relationship and Sam was left feeling cold when it was over.

“And them living together, it won’t deter him, will it.” Sam said. Gabe shook his head.

“Nope.”

“Well, he’s not completely infallible. If they record the calls and he says anything threatening, and the tapes are clear enough, Dean can have charges placed against him.” Sam said. Gabe sat forward, the idea interesting him.

“Like tapping the line?”

“That would require police involvement, and I guarantee they won’t do anything with the current situation. We need to make him mess up, catch him doing something unbecoming of a senator. Maybe have Dean tell him he’s marrying Cas, and he threatens him.” Sam suggested.

“I like the way you think. Run that by Dean later. I’m not sure how my brother will take it. Hopefully I can impart on him the seriousness of this situation. That’s ironic, though you probably don’t realize that. Me, imparting the need to be serious on my brother. He’s the one that was born serious. I’m still a five year old trapped in an adult’s body.” Gabe snorted and shook his head at the thought.

“There’s nothing wrong with being young at heart.” Sam said.

“I agree, Samsquatch. I agree !”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So....yeah. And we are not done yet with Dick. But y'all know I go for happy endings, so have faith! I love you guys!
> 
> Leave a comment, I had a bad night's sleep last night so I didn't get to go over all of the comments from last chapter yet. I felt it was better to wait until I was actually coherent and not sounding like a babbling idiot, lol. But I will reply to all of them. Including the new ones! Let me know what you think!


	20. Fighting Fire With Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean confronts Cas about his ex. He decides it's time to use their own secret weapon in the war against Dick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next few chapters will be a bumpy ride. #sorry not sorry. You know you still love me. Enjoy...

When Dean finished with his phone call he was left more bothered than he was before he’d made it, and he went back to the kitchen to seek out Gabe. He was sitting at the table, still deep in conversation with Sam, but they both looked up when he came storming in.

“What’s wrong?” Sam asked. 

“Some assholes showed up at the shop today. Claimed to be IRS there to do an audit. Bobby came down with our lawyer though and nipped that in the bud real quick. But he said they’d received word that I was cooking the books. Bobby’s lawyer brought in his own staff and they watched them like a hawk. I have a pretty good idea of who sent them in too.” Dean was furious. Gabe got up.

“Come on. We need to go have a talk with my brother.”

 

Dean grabbed the piece of pie he had promised his boyfriend before following Gabe upstairs. He knocked before walking into the room. Cas looked up from the notebook he was writing in, his brow furrowing with concern when he saw the look on Dean’s and his brother’s faces.

“What’s the matter?” He closed the notebook and accepted the plate Dean handed him but now he wasn’t hungry. He set the plate on the nightstand.

“Cas, why didn’t you tell Dean the real truth about Dick?” Gabe asked. 

“What do you mean? Did he do something? He didn’t get your new number, did he?” Cas turned to look at Dean, who had sat down on the edge of the bed. 

“No, he took this shit a step further. He had the IRS show up at the shop today to do an audit. Someone told them I was fixing the books. Me, specifically. Too bad for them I’m excellent at bookkeeping, and we have a kickass lawyer to back us up. Bobby called Chuck, who was down at the shop less than twenty minutes after they got there. He brought his entire staff with him, so like five lawyers all standing and recording everything the IRS guys did. He said he was pretty sure they were trying to frame me. I don’t think Dick Roman is as innocent as you said he was.” Dean was trying not to let his anger and frustration bleed through so he kept his tone as calm as he possibly could. Gabe on the other hand was pissed and showing it. Cas sat up in the bed and looked between the two of them. His fury was building as he realized what damage Dick was trying to do to their relationship.

“That son of a bitch…” 

Dean reached over and placed a hand on his thigh, grounding him and bringing him out of his rage. “Getting angry doesn’t solve the problem at hand, babe. We need to use our heads.” He took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly as he made eye contact with Gabe. 

“Cas, did you know he’s a senator now?” Dean asked.

Cas didn’t answer right away. When Dean looked up at him again there was pain and anger in those blue eyes.

“Did you know he plans to run for the presidency? Apparently he had you all set to be the First Lady.”

“That would never fucking happen,” Cas snapped as he jumped up from the bed.

“Cas…” Gabe’s voice held a warning tone. 

“What!?” Cas yelled.

“You’re better than this. You can’t let Dick Roman control you anymore,” Gabe replied, calmly.

“Oh, please tell me how I’m supposed to do that, because now he’s fucking with Dean. What if he goes after you? After Dean’s family?” Cas froze, a look of horror on his face. He swung around to look at Dean, who was already on his feet and grabbing him.

“You don’t worry about mom and dad. They’re safe. Sam has studied law since he was in diapers, and he’ll make sure they’re safe. I’ll talk to him. I’m not letting this asshole hurt you Cas. I swear I’m not.” Dean pulled Cas to his chest and wrapped his arms around him.

“I didn’t know, I-I didn’t…My therapist said I needed a clean break, to avoid anything that had to do with Dick…” 

“I know. It’s ok, we’ll figure this out.” Dean held him tighter. “I have a secret weapon too. What do you say we do a little stalking of our own? I bet it’s the last thing Roman will expect.” 

“Oh, this should be interesting,” Gabe said, crossing his arms. He couldn’t WAIT to hear this one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You want me to _what_?” Charlie asked. Dean couldn’t possibly be serious!

“Hack into a senator’s laptop camera, and his home cameras. We need audio and picture. Anything you can find that help us stay ahead,” Dean said.

“You’re insane.” She pursed her lips and shook her head. “If I were caught, I’d end up in federal prison.” 

“You’re too good for that,” Dean grinned. 

“I know I am. I’m just pointing it out,” she replied. “You actually dated this douchebag?” she asked Cas.

“Call it a temporary lapse of judgment,” Cas said dryly. “Can you really hack into his computer and stuff?”

“I’ve been accepted to MIT, and I already have a government contract once I graduate,” she replied.

“I’m impressed.” 

“Be impressed when I get this bastard to stop trying to ruin your lives,” she motioned for them to follow her to the den. 

“What is this?” Dorothy looked up from her laptop as Charlie walked in with the three men.

“A giant gang bang!” Gabe cried.

“Keep dreaming,” Charlie snorted as she pulled her own laptop out of her bag and turned it on. She plopped down on the bed with Dean sitting to her right and Cas to her left. Gabe chose to stand just behind his brother and look over his shoulder.

“I’m…going to go see if Mary needs any help in the kitchen. I don’t think I want to be involved in whatever this is,” Dorothy said as she closed her computer and got up. 

“I think you’re right,” Dean told her.

“Just don’t get my girlfriend locked up, ok?” she asked.

“I’m too good for that and you know it!” Charlie winked at her girlfriend. Dorothy rolled her eyes and left the room muttering quietly under her breath.

“And it can’t be traced here, you’re sure?” Dean asked.

“I’m bouncing the signal, but its final destination, should they discover what I’m doing and try to trace it, will be the president’s computer right in the oval office.” Charlie’s response was smug. “Let them try to mess with the president.”

“Isn’t that dangerous though? Hacking into the White House?” Gabe asked.

“I’ve done it before. It’s not hard. I know how to not get caught.” She was typing so fast her fingers were a blur as they flew across the keyboard. Code filled the screen, none of which Dean understood, but all he cared about was catching Dick Roman.

“If he leaves his laptop on, we can access the web cam. Oh, and I can hack his phone too. So we know where he’s at. Do you still have that number he called from last time?” she asked. Dean shook his head.

“No, sorry, but if it showed up on my caller ID, it’s probably on my phone bill.”

“Give me your phone.” She stopped typing and held out her hand. “Both of you. Actually, all of you.” They all handed their phones over. She typed something into each of their phones before handing them back. “Your phones can’t be traced anymore. So, when you’re in Montana, Dean, Roman won’t know it, and when you’re in Chicago, Cas, he also won’t know.”

“You know, you’re pretty scary,” Gabe said. She gave him a cheesy smile before turning her attention back to her computer. The screen went black and then a series of small boxes appeared, each showing a different room.

“What is this?” Cas asked, squinting at the screen.

“He has security cameras in almost every room. And this one…,” she pointed at what looked like a library, “is his laptop. He only puts it in sleep mode, apparently.”

As they watched Dick Roman appeared on camera in what looked like a grand foyer. He walked out of frame and appeared on another screen. He disappeared from that one and a second later he was walking past the laptop monitor.

“Why didn’t that work?” Roman snapped at someone off camera.

“Because he’s not guilty of anything. His criminal record is spotless, not even a speeding ticket, and the bookkeeping was perfect,” a deep voice replied from somewhere else in the room. 

“Is he talking about me?” Dean asked.

“You can thank me for your perfect driving record,” Charlie murmured. He snickered and turned his attention back to the screen.

“You were supposed to fix that. Why did I have you send men there if you couldn’t even do that? I need Winchester out of the picture. Castiel won’t come back to me if he’s got that little twink bending over for him.” Roman whirled around and practically snarled the words at the man off camera.

“Did he just call me a fucking twink?!” Dean was pissed!

“You’re not a twink. He’s just a jealous asshole.” Cas reached around Charlie to squeeze his boyfriend’s shoulder, but it wasn’t helping.

“I’m not a goddamn twink, fucking asshole.” Dean hissed through clenched teeth.

“You’re not going to get rid of him that easy. He’s in love with Castiel, and from the intel we’ve been able to gather, Castiel is in love with him as well. It was overheard at a social function they attended last week that Castiel plans to propose. You might want to start looking for someone more…compatible with your personality. I have a list of available men that would jump at the chance to be in a relationship with you,” the man off camera said.

“Do you know how much time and effort I already put into breaking Castiel down? And you expect me to start all over? Where am I supposed to find someone with his intelligence? His good looks? He will boost my ratings,” Roman argued.

“Sir, at this point it’s believed he will be more of a liability than an asset. And if you harm Dean Winchester, he will never agree to come back to you.”

“Who said I was going to harm him? He’ll go away all on his own, trust me. And I won’t raise a single finger. See, I know all of Castiel’s secrets, even the ones he didn’t willingly share with me. Once Winchester knows what Castiel used to do after he ran away from home, he’ll leave all on his own.” Roman was much too smug for his own good. Dean looked over at Cas, noting the rage in his eyes.

“What is he talking about?” Charlie asked. “Do you know what he’s talking about?” She looked over at Dean.

“Yeah, I know. I’m still here, aren’t I?” he replied gruffly. Cas’ past didn’t bother him. What bothered him was the fact that this pompous asshole thought he could use it against the man. 

“You told Dean?” Gabe asked his brother softly.

“It was one of the first things we talked about the night we first Skyped. We talked about our pasts. I don’t believe it defines Cas, just as he doesn’t believe the fact that I was abused by my father growing up defines me. We don’t have secrets,” Dean said firmly.

“Quiet! They’re still talking!” Charlie ordered and they all fell silent.

“…Doesn’t work?” The mystery man was asking.

“It has to work. He’s a righteous man, a proud family man. He won’t want a former whore in his bed a moment longer,” Roman replied. 

Cas got up and stormed out of the room without a word.

“Whoa, I think I figured it out.” Charlie looked up in time to see Dean get up and leave. Gabe sighed and sat down where his brother had just been sitting.

“I told Dean he plays dirty. I guess it’s good that Cassie came clean with Dean. I just want to know how the hell he figured this out. We worked hard to hide this so it didn’t affect Cas’ life. If that gets out to the world it could potentially ruin him.” Gabe looked at Charlie, the worry he felt for his little brother was written all over his face.

“It won’t. I’m good at keeping secrets, and this is one I won’t let get leaked. If he tries, I’ll leak this entire conversation, save for that tidbit about Cas,” she said.

“Sir, we got a location on Castiel. He left his home in Montana on the nineteenth with Dean Winchester and his brother Gabriel. They’re now in Lebanon Kansas, at Winchester’s family’s house. We have eyes on the house right now.” 

Charlie and Gabe both stiffened. 

“Holy shit. You don’t think the house is bugged, do you?” he asked. She shook her head.

“No. We’re just under external supervision. But that means they’ll know when Dean and Cas leave for Chicago,” she replied. “You better go tell Dean.” Gabe nodded and hurried from the room. He decided Cas was most likely going to be avoiding Mary and Frank, and he doubted he’d be in the kitchen or living room. By process of elimination he headed upstairs. Voices coming from Dean’s room told him where they were.

“I’ll never let him do that to you, babe. You know how much I love you. I don’t care what happened in the past.” Dean was saying as Gabe opened the door and marched in. Cas was standing by the window, staring out and Dean was sitting on the edge of the bed. They both looked up when he walked in.

“Really?” Dean asked, irritated by the interruption.

“Cas, get away from the window, they have the house under surveillance!” Gabe hissed and motioned for his brother to move. Cas leapt back from the window and Dean reached out to catch his hand. He drew the man down to sit on the bed next to him.

“They said that?” Dean asked.

“Yeah, they just said they have eyes on the house.” Gabe edged slowly towards the window, making sure to stay behind the curtains as he peered out at the street below. He was looking for something obvious, but there was nothing.

Dean’s phone vibrated, and he pulled it out to look at it.

Charlie: Roman is watching for your return to Chicago beginning of the week. He’s making a plan to show up at your work. I notified Bobby, and he’s installing cameras with audio to catch whatever is said. I also may or may not have hacked your FB after I heard them saying they’re monitoring it and posted that Cas formally proposed today. Don’t kill me! I’m hoping it will discourage Roman from further acts of aggression.

“Charlie…,” He groaned as he looked up at the ceiling.

“What?” Cas asked. He leaned over to read the message she’d sent Dean. “She did WHAT?!”

Dean texted her back.

Dean: Cas saw that. Not cool. How do you think this will fool Roman? Clearly he’s not stupid.

The next time his phone vibrated, there was a video clip attached. He downloaded it and opened it. It was an enraged Dick Roman pacing his library as he cursed and screamed about Cas.

 

“ _He belongs to me! TO ME! Who the hell does he think he is?! They’ve been together what, two weeks? Talked for a few months over the internet? That is NOT LOVE! Castiel is supposed to accept MY proposal! Not go proposing to worthless mechanics that bend over for the first cock being shoved inside of them! Winchester isn’t even gay! Reports came back that his last two relationships were with women. He just wants Castiel’s money! I’m going to ruin Dean Winchester!_ ”

Dean was still staring at the phone for a long time after the video clip ended. He was numb, his mind racing as he tried to lock in on at least one thing Dick Roman had said and get his emotions under control.

“Dean?” Cas placed a hand on his shoulder, causing him to flinch. “Dean, talk to me,” he pleaded.

“Gabe? Can you please leave?” Dean’s voice was flat, devoid of emotion, and he wasn’t looking the man in the eye either. Gabe nodded, leaving and closing the door behind him.

“Dean, please, talk to me,” Cas begged.

“Am I less of a man because I bottom?” Dean suddenly asked.

“What? No! If that were the case I’d be worthless, because I only ever bottomed until I met you. You know I don’t see you as anything except my equal,” Cas replied.

“But I love you. This is real, I know it is. I know I want to spend my life with you.” Dean’s voice was pitiful as he looked down at the phone in his hand. The screen was dark now.

“Dean, look at me,” Cas’ voice was commanding. Dean looked up at him.

“I love you, Dean. I never loved anyone, save for my brother, before I met you. Love…it doesn’t come easily to me, probably because I was not shown a whole lot of it growing up, but I knew the moment I fell in love with you. You’re so easy to love, so beautiful inside and out. Your soul, it’s like a shining beacon calling me home, and I never knew how much I needed that, how much I needed _you_ , until I had you. You accept me, flaws and all, and still see me as beautiful and amazing, and that is how I look at you. You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I swear on everything that is holy, I will spend the rest of my life showing you how much you mean to me, but right here? Right now? Trust me when I say that Dick Roman doesn’t know his ass from a hole in the wall. He’s never been in love and wouldn’t know it if it came and slapped him in the face. But you and me? We know, because we’re living it. I love you, Dean, more than anything in the entire world.”

“I know. I’m trying to let the logical side of my brain win out on this one. I know you love me, and I know I love you. It just hurts that this guy who doesn’t even know me thinks so low of me. I’ve fought for everything I’ve ever had in my life. I paid my own way through college, my parents didn’t help one bit; I wouldn’t let them. I’m helping Sam pay his way through school. I’m buying my own business. I don’t need handouts, and I don’t want them. That he would insinuate that I would only be interested in you for your money; that pisses me off like you don’t even know. I was planning to pay half the mortgage and expenses of running the ranch once I was there for good. I see us as equals too, Cas. And I’m not a fucking twink!” He growled the last part out angrily and Cas wrapped his arms around the man’s waist and nuzzled against his shoulder.

“No, darling, you’re most definitely not. I don’t even like that term, it’s degrading, and that’s why he is using it. He wants to dehumanize you because he’s jealous. You realize that, don’t you? He has money and people falling over themselves to do his bidding, but the one thing he doesn’t have is someone who genuinely loves him. Deep down, despite his denial, he knows I’m in love with you, and he hates you for that. So what I think we should do is continue on with our lives. We’ll enjoy Christmas and then we’ll go back to Chicago, where we’ll pack you up and then I’m taking you back with me to Montana. Dick Roman be damned. He’s not taking away the best thing that has ever happened to me.” 

“I already told you, babe, I’m not going anywhere,” Dean said softly. He sighed deeply and ran his fingers through his hair. His brain wouldn’t shut off and there were other things.

“Does it bother you that I’m not…gay?” He winced as the question left his lips.

“No, why would it? Your heart belongs to me. Who you were with before doesn’t matter,” Cas replied. 

“Yeah, that’s what I think too. Besides, I wasn’t happy dating women. I’m happy with you, happier than I’ve ever been in my entire life.”

“Me too,” Cas agreed. He gently took the phone from Dean’s hands and set it aside before coaxing the man into lying down.

“I love you, Dean, and I’m not going to let some prick like Dick Roman try and ruin that. We’ll talk to Bobby when we get to Chicago, and we’ll talk to Benny too. I am fairly certain that anything short of working on cars yourself can be done electronically, and can be done from the house, with me. If you feel differently, then I will place a call to the university and explain that I am taking an emergency sabbatical. See, they don’t dare fire me, despite my lack of tenure. My books have drawn a larger student base to the school, and they want me to teach a course based on bee husbandry and conservation of the species. I am friends with the dean and I know he can smooth things over with Abigail, and with Kent who is the university president. My TA can finish up the semester since I already have the entire course planned out, every test, every pop quiz, every lecture. Or I can do video lectures, but I’m going wherever you go, Dean. None of this weekend here or weekend there crap. I’m in this for the long haul. It’s all or nothing for me.” He lifted up the edge of Dean’s shirt so that he could slide his fingers over the warm skin beneath. 

“Yeah? You’re sure about that? I don’t want you losing your job because of me.” Dean turned to look up at him.

“I won’t. Besides, you’re worth the risk. We’re good together, Dean. You know it; I know it. But I want us to be _together_.” Cas laid down next to him, resting his head over Dean’s heart as his hand slid farther under his shirt. For a long time they simply laid there like that.

“Seven months,” Dean said about thirty minutes later. He didn’t expect Cas to understand what he meant, but he did.

“You’re right. There was never anyone else for me, not from the first moment I entered that chat room that day,” Cas said.

“Same here. I count from then, not from when we agreed to be exclusive, because I already was.” Dean brought a hand up to run through Cas’ hair. “I can’t do that thing some people do where they talk to a couple of people while dating someone else. It has to be one person, no matter what, and with that first email, I knew that person was you.”

Cas smiled at that. “It has been the same for me too.”

“We’re going to be so good together. I’ll give you the moon and stars, if that’s what you want,” Dean told him. Cas tilted his head so that he could press a kiss to Dean’s jaw.

“I have no doubts about us, Dean. But I don’t need the moon and stars, I only need you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, they're staying one step ahead of Dick for now. For now...
> 
> So let me know what you think in the comments below. I promise I AM reading them, just slow to respond. Been battling migraines and allergies, and between my insomnia and early work hours? I'm a walking corpse. I hope to get to all of the comments this weekend though. Doesn't matter if I have 30 or 300, I RESPOND! You all know me well enough by now to know that I do. I love hearing how you guys feel about each chapter. Love you all! 
> 
> *Cues the music for I Will Survive* Spreads glitter everywhere.... Get your disco on, my friends!


	21. Christmas Eve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas and Gabe get to experience Christmas Eve, Winchester-Cameron style. They take part in family traditions and for the first time in a long time, they feel like they're part of a real family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy Christmas day...

With time to think and plan, and with Charlie watching Dick Roman like a hawk, the rest of the night went smoothly, and the next day found everyone hustling to get the rest of the baking and cooking done. Family came on Christmas Eve to the Winchester-Cameron house and Mary ran a tight ship. Even Frank was helping. By the time family began showing up everyone was tired but between Mary, Cas, and Dean they put a magnificent holiday dinner on the table. Some gifts were exchanged, most of which were meant for Mary and Frank, though Dean was thrilled to get a couple of new vintage tees from his grandmother.

What caught Cas off guard was when people handed him gifts. Frank’s mother had made him a scarf and hat set while Dean’s grandmother had handmade a picture album for him to fill with pictures of him and Dean. He hadn’t expected anything from Dean’s extended family, and Dean had to calm him down when he began to panic over not having brought them anything. But Mary assured him that it was alright, and that if he wanted to, he could buy gifts next year. That put a dopey smile on Cas’ face that he couldn’t shake for the rest of the night. Once everyone had left and the cleanup was complete, Sam brought out two guitars.

“What’s that for?” Gabe asked, smiling as he watched Sam hand one to Dean and settled down onto the floor in front of the Christmas tree.

“Oh, you haven’t experienced a Winchester-Cameron Christmas until you’ve heard my brother sing,” Sam replied, grinning. Gabe looked over at Dean, who had finished tuning his guitar and had the same dorky grin on his face. He winked at Gabe, which just made him laugh.

“Well ok then, let’s hear you sing, Dean!”

Cas turned to face his boyfriend, excited to hear Dean sing. When Sam started the first few chords of Silent Night, he smiled brightly. He had always loved that song growing up. When Dean opened his mouth and the words began to flow from his mouth in a rich baritone, Cas’ jaw dropped. He looked over at his brother who had a matching look of shock. Then Mary joined in. Soon after, Frank did as well. Cas joined them as did Gabe and Sam, and when they moved into the second verse, Cas did not falter. He knew this carol by heart, every word, and in two languages. His own grandmother had sung it to him in Latin when he was just a little boy.

After Silent Night they sang Silver Bells, followed by White Christmas. Cas loved the sound of Dean’s singing voice almost as much as he loved just hearing the man talk. When the small clock over the mantle struck midnight, the Winchester brothers set their guitars aside.

“We have another tradition,” Dean explained. “Since it is now technically Christmas morning, we are allowed to open one gift each. The rest are to be opened after breakfast. Mom hands out the gifts, and then we head to bed.”

“I think I like that tradition,” Cas smiled at Mary. She smiled back.

“Alright, so who wants to go first?” She asked as she got up from her chair and made her way to the tree.

“Oh! Me!” Charlie’s hand shot up in the air, and Mary searched through the gifts until she found one marked for the eager girl. She handed it over, and Cas made a startled sound when he realized it was one of his.

“It’s heavy, I wonder what it is.” Charlie murmured as she unwrapped it. A huge smile formed on her lips as realized what she had in her hands.

“You got her the Harry Potter series?” Dean asked.

“I’m sure she already has them, but I’m pretty sure she doesn’t have a set autographed by J.K Rowling herself,” Cas replied. Dean’s eyes widened, and he watched as Charlie gingerly removed one of the books and opened the front cover. 

“Oh my God! Cas! Thank you!” she gushed. She handed the book over to Dean, who was almost as excited as she was before leaping up and throwing herself into Cas’ arms. She planted a loud, wet kiss on his cheek, which made him laugh.

“I’m glad you like it,” he told her.

“How did you manage this? Do you know J.K. personally?” Sam asked.

“Oh, no, I’m not that important of a writer,” Cas laughed. “I contacted my agent and she worked some of her networking magic, got the set for me. I paid for them like anyone else would have, but Meg got them autographed for me.”

“This is wicked cool. Now I’m jealous,” Dean teased once Charlie was back sitting by the tree again. He handed her the book back, and she gently slid it into the box.

“This just became my most valuable possession,” she declared. Her arms were wrapped around the box protectively, which made her girlfriend laugh.

“Insure those, Red. Seriously,” Dean told her.

“Oh trust me, I will!”

Mary was leafing through more presents when Dean spoke up.

“Hey Ma? Give Frank that big box there from me. I want to see the look on his face when he opens it.” 

Mary laughed and grabbed the box in question, handing it to her husband. Frank looked at Dean with a smile before tearing into the paper. As soon as he opened the box he burst out laughing.

“Really, Dean?” He was still laughing as he pulled the Stetson from the box and sat it on his head. Everyone burst out laughing.

“Oh God, tell me you didn’t get me one of those too!” Sam groaned.

“Hey, it’s haute couture in Montana,” Gabe teased as he nudged the other man.

“Yeah….no,” Sam laughed and shook his head.

“Well, mine’s even bigger than Frank’s,” Gabe winked, and Sam’s eyes went wide for a moment before his face turned beet red. Dean doubled over laughing.

“Geez, Gabe, so subtle!” he cried. Cas was laughing so hard himself that he had tears in his eyes.

Mary pulled out a present for Gabe and handed it to him. “This is from Frank and I. I had to ask Dean what your size was, and he had to ask Cas, but if it doesn’t fit, I still have the receipt,” she explained.

“I’m sure it will. Is it flannel? Will I get to look like a sexy beast like Dean here?” he asked as he tore into the paper. Mary just laughed and shook her head. Gabe opened the box and grinned wide. 

“Whoa, nice!” He pulled out a sweater, a thick button-down with a Celtic knot pattern. It was tan, and he knew he’d be wearing it every day at work since his classroom was freezing. He smiled up at Mary. “Thank you, this will get plenty of use, the classroom I teach in, the heaters don’t work right so I’m always freezing.” He looked at Frank and smiled warmly. “Thank you.” Frank smiled and nodded back. He was still wearing his Stetson, which amused Gabe to no end.

Mary handed a present to Sam from Charlie, and he eagerly opened it.

“Char, is this an encyclopedia set in CD form?” he asked as he turned the box set over and read the back.

“It’s not just any encyclopedia set. That’s the one they have at Harvard; it’s from the law library,” she explained. He set the box on the seat next to him and got down on the floor. It was only a few feet to Charlie and then he was enveloping her in a warm hug.

“Thank you, I was dying to get my hands on this ahead of time so I could study. This means the world to me.” He kissed the top of her head as she squeezed him tight.

“Anything to see you succeed, bro. You know I love you.”

Mary handed Dorothy her present next, a gift card from Dean to her favorite gaming store that she began excitedly rattling off all the things she wanted to get with it and making everyone laugh with delight.

“Can I give one of mine to you?” Cas asked Mary. She nodded and he handed her the box with the silver picture frame he had chosen. He watched nervously as she unwrapped it.

“Oh…this is beautiful…” There was awe in her voice as she traced the delicate scrollwork along the edges of the frame.

“I was thinking. I brought my camera with, and I’d like to take a family picture, for you to put in it. You and Frank, Dean, Sam, and Charlie,” he told her.

“We need to get someone else to come take it then because you, Gabe and Dorothy need to be in it as well,” she told him. 

“What?” He hadn’t expected that.

“You’re family, sweetheart. So is your brother and Dorothy,” she replied. Cas was up off the couch and hugging her before she knew what was happening. Dean and Sam both chuckled.

“Thank you, Mary,” he whispered before kissing her cheek softly.

“There’s nothing to thank me for. I look forward to the picture. I want one of you and Dean as well, and one of Charlie and Dorothy,” she said when he finally let her go.

“Ok, we can do that.” He nodded eagerly as he wiped a stray tear from his eye. He returned to his seat on the couch and Dean wrapped an arm around his shoulder. 

“This is for Dean and Cas together,” Mary handed her son a small box. “This is from your dad and I.” 

He accepted the box and opened it. “Oh man, thanks you guys!” He held the box out to Cas so he could see the gift card inside.

“$500?!” Cas gasped.

“It’s for the house. Anything you might need. I know Dean said you plan to increase your crops next year, and this should help with that,” Mary said.

“We are. I already went over every square foot of the greenhouse, and I have done some research. I can start planting as early as March, and I already ordered a boatload of seeds. This will cover the cost of the compost bin, and some new gardening tools. Thank you Mom, Dad. It will get plenty of use.” Dean’s description was animated. It made Cas smile. He loved seeing the man so excited.

“I just want some of your canned goods this summer.” She winked at her son, which made him laugh.

“Of course, Ma. Anything for you.”

“You going to grow beets? I love them, but I don’t like the metallic taste when they come from a can. I would love a few jars of them,” Frank said.

“It’s on the list of seeds I ordered.”

“Oh good!” Frank clapped his hands together happily.

“Ok, let’s all go to bed, there are more gifts to open in the morning,” Mary said, and everyone started getting to their feet. Cas and Dean collected all of the shredded gift wrap and threw it out before kissing Mary goodnight and heading up to bed. Cas collapsed face down onto the mattress with a groan while Dean stripped off his flannel and the Henley he was wearing.

“Tired, babe?” he asked. Cas reluctantly rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling.

“Yes and no. More like emotionally drained. This is so far the best Christmas of my life, but I can’t help but feel that there’s a cloud lingering over it.”

“Don’t think like that. We’re together, we’re with family, and we’re happy. I have some more good news too.” Dean shucked his jeans and crawled into the bed in nothing but his underwear. He stretched out on his stomach and propped his head up on one hand. Cas turned on his side and propped his own head up.

“Oh? I like good news.”

“Bobby has been down at the shop training Benny. We had a talk earlier, and I’m going to continue to do the bookwork since that’s beyond Benny anyway, and we’ll do a video conference twice a week until Benny is sure he’s comfortable running the place. Just to be sure, I’m putting my man Victor as his assistant manager. Right now Benny is my assistant manager. Bobby says if the shop continues to do well without me, in five year’s time he’s going to formally sign the place over to me and be done with it. I will still need to take trips in at least twice a year to make sure everything is running smoothly, but if we time it right, we can do it without using up your vacation time, and you can come with,” Dean explained.

Cas dropped his hand and sat up. “Are you…does that mean you’re coming back to Montana with me after next week?” Dean sat up and moved closer until he could press his mouth to his boyfriend’s.

“That’s exactly what it means, sweetheart.”

“Oh my God!” Cas threw his arms around Dean’s neck and kissed every inch of the man’s face he could reach, which made Dean crack up laughing.

“Well, someone’s excited.”

“Oh, Dean, you have no idea how happy this makes me! But I’m worried. I don’t want to rush you if it means the shop will go under. I can wait. I want all of your dreams to come true and I know how important the shop in Chicago’s success is to you,” Cas told him.

“The shop is going to do just fine. Wait til you meet Benny and the rest of the gang. I only hire the most competent people, and I’m certain Benny can handle this.” Dean tugged at the edge of the tacky Christmas sweater Cas was wearing. He was happier in that moment than he ever thought possible.

“How does Christmas sex sound?” Cas asked, his voice dropping several octaves and making Dean look up sharply.

“On the night of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? That’s sacrilegious!” Dean mocked, a wide grin on his lips. Cas rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, he was born in September. I know why we celebrate it in December. Now do you want sex or not?”

The lust-filled gaze in Dean’s eyes told him the answer, but Dean replied anyway. “Hell yes!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy fluff because I love you guys. Let me know what you think in the comments!


	22. Christmas Day Family Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean takes some time alone with his brother while the rest of the family finds things to do together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Teeny, tiny bit of smut in here. Mostly it's jus t family bonding. Enjoy!

Christmas morning they woke to Sam pounding on the bedroom door.

“Wake up, sleepyheads, it’s Christmas morning!”

Cas’ eyes fluttered open, and he glared at the door.

“Fuck you,” he muttered. Dean snorted as he sat up.

“Well Merry Christmas to you too, babe.” He leaned over his boyfriend to kiss his cheek. Cas groaned and pulled the covers over his head.

“What’s so Merry about it? It’s the ass crack of dawn. Is Sam into torture or something?” Cas complained. He flipped onto his back, the blankets still over his head.

“How does another special Christmas present sound? From me to you?” Dean asked.

“What kind of present? And does it consist of more sleep?” Cas asked from under the blankets. Dean chuckled and moved down the bed to toss the blankets off the lower half of Cas’ body. 

“Oh fuck!” Cas cried out as Dean took him in his mouth, moving slowly as he waited for Cas’ body to get on board. That didn’t take long and soon he was hard as a rock. Cas tossed the covers back and immediately grabbed Dean’s hair. He moaned as Dean’s mouth worked magic at setting every nerve in his body on fire. His breathing began to speed up and Dean worked faster, his tongue and lips licking and sucking at his shaft until he felt like he would burst. 

“Dean…Dean…Dean…” was Cas’ mantra, whispered softly as he fought not to scream his lover’s name. He whimpered as he came, a soft sigh slipping from his lips as his body relaxed and went limp.

“God, Dean…that was fantastic,” he murmured as he eased up on the grip he’d had on Dean’s hair and instead combed his fingers gently through it.

“Good. I like to see you smile in the morning, especially when I’m the one making you smile.” Dean moved back up the bed to kiss him, and Cas draped himself over the taller man.

“I love you so much. That was the second best Christmas present I’ve ever received,” he murmured as he nuzzled against Dean’s cheek.

“Wait, what was the first? The necklace?” Dean asked.

“Mmm, ok, so the blowjob was the third best,” Cas laughed. “The first was knowing that every morning, from now on, I get to wake up next to you.”

Hearing that made Dean’s entire day better. 

“My turn to bring you some Christmas joy,” Cas purred as he pushed Dean onto his back and positioned himself between his legs. The cheesy line brought a smile to his face. God he loved this man so much!

 

After a combined shower that ended up taking twice as long, they made their way downstairs to find Mary placing plates piled high with food on the kitchen table. Cas’ eyes bulged at the sheer amount of it all. Dean chuckled at his expression and kissed his cheek. They took their seats at the table, and Dean began serving them both.

After breakfast Charlie snagged Cas for a game of chess while Gabe and Frank sat back to play Parcheesi. Dorothy was in the kitchen helping Mary with dinner so Dean saw the perfect opportunity to spend some quality time with his brother. He went in search of Sam and found him on his computer in his bedroom, reviewing the encyclopedia Charlie had given him the day before.

“You are such a nerd,” Dean teased from where he was leaning against the doorframe. Sam looked up and gave him an exasperated look.

“So sue me, I was excited to take a look.”

“Say, want to go for a walk with me?” Dean asked. Sam was already on his feet and moving to grab his coat on the back of the chair.

“Sure.”

Outside they pulled the zippers higher on their coats as they started down the block. Dean wiggled his toes inside the nice, warm boots Cas had gotten him for Christmas and smiled.

“What are you so happy about?” Sam asked.

“Cas got me these for Christmas. He made sure I’d have everything I would need to be warm and comfortable when I’m out in Montana,” Dean replied. Sam smiled at that.

“He loves you, wants you to be safe and protected. I hear it gets wicked cold up in the mountains.”

“I checked temperatures. After dealing with Chicago winters for so long I think I’ll do fine in Montana.” Dean wrapped his scarf tighter around his neck. This was one his mom had made; he’d left the soft alpaca hair one back in Montana.

“I can’t wait to come out and see you guys. You have horses? Have you ever even ridden a horse?” Sam asked.

“Yes, and I quite enjoy it, actually. Daisy, the mare, she is a sweetheart. Eats carrots so gentle, right from my hand, and if I stop petting her she pushes her head into my hand to get me to start again. She paws at the ground and makes these cute snuffling noises when she sees me too. Cas said she can be mine since she likes me so much,” Dean replied.

“Wow. That’s pretty cool. Think I can ride her sometime?” 

“Sure. She’s a good girl, you’ll like her a lot,” Dean said. Sam looked around at the falling snow.

“I love when it snows on Christmas morning.” 

“Me too. Makes it better. We can have a snowball fight again this year. This time we need to work together to get Charlie. She’s a cunning little shit,” Dean laughed. Sam burst out laughing and nodded. 

“Yes, she is!”

“So you’re really thinking of settling down and getting married? You’re still so young. So is Cas.” Sam said after they had turned the corner and walked about halfway down the block.

“I don’t want to play games, Sammy. I know I’m young. But I also know what I want in life. I’ve dated around, had enough sex and enough heartache to know that Cas is exactly what I want, and what I need. I need him like I need the air to breathe. I’ve never needed anyone like that before. You know me, I’m independent, I do my own thing, I go my own way, but Cas, he makes me want to be a better person. It’s never been my priority to put someone else’s needs first unless they were family, but I want to with him. He’s the most amazing person to ever come into my life. Shit, if you’d met the last girl I dated? Clingy as hell, and then poof! Just up and disappears for months on end. Doesn’t call, doesn’t text, nothing. Then randomly showed back up seven months later and thought we’d just pick up where we left off. I wasn’t even that into her when we dated. And then she was all clingy and whiny again, and I actually had to kick her out when she showed up at my work. Good thing I’m the boss or Bobby might have skinned me alive had be still been working. I stopped dating for a long time after her, just had a few, you know, booty calls, but nothing serious. Until I met Cas. I didn’t think I’d want to meet someone like him. I didn’t think I’d ever really ‘settle’.” Dean even used quotation marks like Cas so often did when talking when he said the word “settle.” Sam snorted.

“Booty calls. Really?” Sam shook his head. “You clearly didn’t see what everyone else saw then. You love so deeply, Dean, that everyone comes before you in your book. Trust me, I was selfish as a kid and I needed someone to put me first when mom and dad were getting their divorce, and you were there to do that. It still means a lot to me that you did that. I’m just now learning how to do the same with other people. But I always, always knew you would find someone to love and settled down, start a family, be the loving, nurturing husband and father. You may have seen yourself as the playboy, but no one else did. It’s no wonder that girl came back wanting to pick up where you guys had left off. She’s the one that lost her dad, right? She probably came to the realization that life is short and that she had left a really good thing behind, a chance at a wonderful future, and she was trying to recapture that. Too bad for her you were giving Cas a chance at that future, and he was smart enough to grab on to that chance with everything he had. Don’t sell yourself short, Dean. You’re a great guy. I’m proud of you. One day, I want what you and Cas have. I’m not even sure Jess and I had that. I thought we did, but…” Sam frowned and looked out across the snow covered road. “I loved her, and I know she loved me, but I’m not so sure we were still _in_ love, you know? I wanted to propose because I thought she might leave me if I didn’t. But watching you and Cas? I realized we never had the same feelings for one another that you guys do. But I want that, badly. I’m going to wait though. I’m not in a rush this time.” Sam stuffed his hands deeper in his pockets and hunched his shoulders against the wind.

They walked in silence a few more blocks before Dean spoke again.

“We’re being watched at the house. Dick Roman’s men are watching it.” He dropped his voice low, and Sam had to lean closer to hear him against the wind that was whipping around them.

“How do you know that?” Sam glanced back over his shoulder but there was no one else around.

“Depends, you going to go all lawyer on me?” Dean looked up at his brother, his expression serious.

“Dean, what did you do?” Sam stopped walking and turned to face his brother. Dean stopped too.

“I asked you first, Sammy. I’m trying to protect Cas. This man is trying to destroy me to get me out of Cas’ life, but he’ll do worse to Cas. I’m doing what is right. I’m protecting the man I love,” he said firmly. Sam lifted a hand to run it through his hair until he remembered he was wearing a hat and dropped it again.

“Ok. I get that. Not like I’d rat you out anyway. Cas doesn’t need some asshole stalking him.” 

“Dick Roman is doing worse than that, Sammy. He is trying to get Cas back so he can force him to marry him. Apparently Cas would be a political tool to benefit his run for presidency,” Dean replied. Sam leaned forward and cocked his head, not sure he’d heard his brother correctly.

“I’m sorry, did you say presidency?” 

“Yes. Currently he’s a senator but he has intentions to run for president. Cas was supposed to stay in Illinois, submit to his will so that when he proposed, Cas would just go along with it, and then he could use Cas’ pull with the environmentalists to garner votes. It’s all politics to him. Charlie dug up some dirt on Roman. He supported fracking, donated millions to Monsanto, and has voted in favor of the urbanization of vital natural areas that have ended up with the annihilation of entire species. He wiped out species of bees doing that. And now he thinks that marrying Cas will make those that are furious with him over issues like this suddenly believe he has changed and is cleaning up his act? He’ll just continue to do shit like this, but cover it up better. And Cas is expected to remain quiet, pliant and agreeable in all of the business dealings he’s allowed to know about,” Dean spat the words out as though the very taste of them in his mouth disgusted him.

“Whoa, back up a minute here. Was Cas being abused by Dick Roman?” Sam asked.

“Cas won’t talk about it but Gabe says that from what he witnessed, yes, he was at the very least verbally abusive. He knew his brother wanted to leave Dick, so he’s the one that flew him out to Montana to look at the house, and pressed him to make the sale because he knew Cas wouldn’t want Dick to follow, and that he’d finally have the separation and space that he needed to start healing. Dick’s been a busy little beaver though since Cas left. He ran and won his seat on the senate, just made it into office a couple of months back. Right about the time he contacted Cas that first time. He’s been trying to cover up the shit he’s done but you know Charlie, she could find Jimmy Hoffa if she wanted to,” Dean replied. Sam motioned for them to start walking again.

“So what are you going to do?” he asked.

“I’ve been talking to Bobby, and I had a talk with Benny too. I’m going to continue to do the record keeping and supervise long distance. I’m going back to Chicago this week to pack my stuff up, and then I’m going home, to Montana. I’m not leaving Cas out there alone; the house is being watched there too. Charlie’s trying to find something incriminating that can get Roman to leave us the hell alone. What she has uncovered so far, we can’t take to any authority, and as for his political dealings, he’s slick. Covers his tracks very, very well. She’s still working on it though.” Dean rubbed at his eyes. He could feel a migraine coming on, and he knew it was stress induced.

“I can’t do anything without a law degree, and even if I had it, I still couldn’t do anything. Sure, I’m studying business law, but I’m a nobody. I have no power, no authority anywhere. Dick Roman would destroy me. I really don’t know what I can do to help,” Sam wanted to do something, anything to help his brother and Cas, but there really wasn’t anything he could do.

“I’m not asking for your help, Sam. I’m filling you in on what is going on in my life currently. My boyfriend, who one day soon will be my fiancé, is being threatened. He’s my family as much as you, Mom, Frank, and Charlie are. And I’ll do anything to protect my family.” There was a fierceness in his brother’s eyes that Sam recognized. He’d seen it over and over as Dean had defended him and their mom against John. 

“Ok. But if you need me, I’ll do whatever I can.” Sam placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder and squeezed reassuringly.

“Thanks Sammy.”

Sam dropped his hand and stuffed it back in his pocket.

“Shit it got cold out,” he complained.

“This is nothing compared to Chicago. You just got spoiled out there in California,” Dean teased as he nudged his brother with his elbow. Sam chuckled at that.

“Yeah, maybe a little.”

“Let’s go back to the house.” Dean turned the next corner and started back towards their parent’s house.

“How are they even watching?” Sam asked as they made their way back.

“Cameras, though I have no idea where they are, just that they’re not inside the house,” Dean replied. Very subtly he motioned for his brother to be quiet as they climbed the steps and went inside. 

“Hey, where were you guys?” Charlie greeted as she stepped out of the kitchen.

“We went for a walk. Haven’t gotten any alone time with my little brother since I got here,” Dean replied. “Where’s Cas?”

“In here!” Cas called from the living room. Dean removed his boots and outerwear, careful to hang everything up to dry before heading into the living room. He found Cas sitting on the floor with Dorothy putting a puzzle together.

“Oh, sweetheart, your hair,” Cas laughed as he reached up to tame down Dean’s locks as he joined them on the floor.

“Yeah, it’s cold out, I wore a hat.” Dean eyed the puzzle on the floor. “What are you trying to put together?”

“It’s a Doctor Who puzzle that Charlie gave me for Christmas. Turns out Cas loves puzzles as much as I do so I recruited him to help me,” Dorothy replied. Dean reached past his boyfriend to pick up one of the pieces. He studied it for a moment before looking at what they had already been able to piece together. It didn’t take long for him to figure out where the piece went and he slid in firmly into place.

“Do you like puzzles?” Cas asked him.

“I do, but Sammy used to come along when we were kids and deliberately push them off the table just to tick me off, so I stopped after a while,” Dean replied. An evil snicker told him Sam had just walked in the room.

“Step on my puzzle and I’ll break your legs,” Dorothy warned. Sam laughed and dropped onto the couch, stretching out so he could watch them put the puzzle together. Charlie walked in and dropped down onto Sam’s legs, pinning him to the couch.

“Hey, fat ass!” Sam tried to pull his legs out from under her but couldn’t. She grinned at him and bit into the cookie she had snagged.

“Oh, ho, ho, trapped there, Samsquatch?” Gabe asked as he moved around the group on the floor and sat down on the loveseat.

“Where are my parents?” Dean asked.

“Mary decided they needed to go see someone named Esther?” Dorothy said. Dean nodded.

“Our elderly neighbor across the street. She’s a hundred and six and too sick to leave her house. My mom goes and helps her out a few times each week, cooks her some meals, cleans her house, does her laundry, things like that. Esther has outlived everyone in her family. Her husband died before I was born, and she has outlived all of her children and most of her grandchildren. Her great-grandkids don’t stop by anymore. My mom doesn’t want her to be alone on Christmas.” Dean smiled fondly as he thought of Esther and his mother’s concern for the woman.

“Should we go and help?” Cas asked.

“I’ll text my mom and ask.” Dean pulled out his phone.

Dean: Hey, do you need any help? How is Esther doing?

It was only a few minutes before his mother responded.

Mom: She’s doing as well as she’s been for the last year. I don’t think she has much time left. She barely remembers me. Frank’s singing to her and she’s listening. Once she has eaten we’ll be back at the house. Stay put. We’ll open gifts when your dad and I get back.

Dean: Ok. Tell her Merry Christmas for us.

Mom: I will.

Dean tucked his phone back in his pocket. “Ma says to stay here, they’ll be back soon.” He picked up a piece of the puzzle, studying it for a moment before his eyes went to the pieces already connected on the floor. Not seeing a place to connect it, he set it aside and picked up another one.

When Mary and Frank walked in a half hour later they were almost finished with the puzzle. Charlie was still sitting on Sam and Mary snickered at the sight.

“Make her get up, Mom,” Sam complained.

“If you can’t get a girl that barely weighs a hundred pounds off of you, then you have issues,” His mom replied as she passed the couch. She stopped long enough to ruffle his hair before heading for her chair. Frank walked in a few minutes later with more pumpkin cookies, offering one to his wife before sitting in his own chair.

“You can start on the presents now,” Mary announced. Charlie flew off of Sam, her boney butt digging into the back of his thigh in the process.

“Ow!” Sam yelped as he sat up. 

“Wus.” Dean loved ribbing his brother.

“Shut up, jerk,” Sam shot at him.

“You first, bitch,” Dean grinned. Cas and Dorothy shared a look of exasperation before they both rolled their eyes.

“Some children!” Gabe cried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...I hope you all likes this chapter. I am so tired I'm falling asleep, so I'm going to head off to bed now. Cross your fingers I can get at least 8 hours tonight. I'm falling asleep as I try to write this. I keep dozing off. Leave a comment, let know what you think!


	23. An Unexpected Text

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas Day is a pleasant time spent with family, and everyone enjoys themselves, but when Cas and Dean head up to bed, Cas finds that he has an ominous text message waiting for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, let me apologize for being so late to post this evening. I had another idea hit me after seeing a post on Tumblr, and I just HAD to write it, tonight! Don't hate me! On the plus side? It's smut tastic. My lovely beta is reviewing it right now, so it'll be up shortly too. Second, I apologize for the short chapter.
> 
> Chapters might be a bit short as you're almost all caught up to what is already pre-written, but I'm not giving up. I'm still working at the story, but every now and then I need to work through another fic in order to wear off some energy and get refocused. I have ADD, what can I say? Lol. I do hope you enjoy this chapter though.

It took the better part of two hours to exchange all the presents, and as Dean had predicted, Cas found himself with more flannel than he knew what to do with. Suddenly the idea of quilting sounded really good. Aside from the necklace, his favorite gifts were the band tees Dean had bought him that were conveniently big enough for him to steal without them being too snug. Sam loved the flannel Dean had bought him and put it on over his tee shirt the moment he opened the box. His brother had a smug smile but for the sake of their mother he said nothing.

After opening all the gifts, Dean and Cas took theirs upstairs to tuck safely away in their bags. The rest of the day was spent relaxing, watching new movies they had bought each other and gorging themselves on pie and cookies. Mary insisted on more Christmas songs, and her sons happily obliged. They grabbed their guitars and played until their fingers ached and everyone’s throats were strained to the point of almost being hoarse, and then Mary got Charlie to help her with the eggnog she’d made the day before. Dean moved up to the couch, pulling Cas up with him, and he stretched his legs out, opening them so Cas could sit between them and lean back against him. They enjoyed their drink as they talked, discussing Dean and Cas’ plans for their spring garden, Charlie’s last year of college before she went off to MIT, Sam’s search for an apartment near the Harvard campus, and everything else that came to mind. It was well after two in the morning before Cas pulled Dean to his feet and made him head up to bed. His boyfriend was dead on his feet and yawned so hard as he climbed the stairs that by the time Cas closed the door behind them and turned to look, Dean had tears streaming down his face. Still, he smiled happily as he began stripping out of his clothes. 

“You’re exhausted, sweetheart.” Cas caught Dean’s flannel as he tossed it towards the dresser and hung it on the closet door knob. He handed over the pajama bottoms Dean had worn the night before and took his jeans as he tossed them aside as well. 

“Thanks, honey.” Dean murmured before grabbing his toiletry bag and shuffling out of the room. While he was gone, Cas took the time to get dressed for bed himself. He was plugging his phone in to charge when he notice the blue light in the corner, indicating he had notifications waiting. Figuring it was friends wishing him a Merry Christmas he unlocked the phone and opened his messages. 

When Dean returned to the bedroom Cas was standing in the middle of the room with his back to the door.

“Cas?” he asked. The poor guy practically jumped out of his skin at the sound of his boyfriend’s voice and he spun around. One look at his face and Dean knew something was wrong. He dropped his bag on the floor and hurried to him. “Baby, what’s the matter?” Cas simply held out his phone to him. He took it and looked down at the screen.

Unknown Caller: _I know you’re watching. Lucky for you, Dick doesn’t. Yet. Better watch out for your boyfriend Dean Winchester, he’s made his way onto a hit list_

“Oh, fuck…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the family, holiday fluff. Now it's time for seatbelts again...


	24. The Plan to Screw Over Dick Roman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With help from Charlie and Dorothy, Dean formulates a plan that he unfortunately has to ask the rest of his family to help him enact. He's desperate to put an end to Dick Roman's tyranny, and to bring the man down once and for all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seatbelts secured good and tight? We're almost to the top of the roller coaster now. I AM going somewhere with this. Dick is not expecting Dean to be intelligent, determined, and 100% dedicated to Cas. He doesn't know what he's in for.

He was out the door and down the stairs in a matter of seconds. Cas followed him and found him knocking on the door to the den. Dorothy opened the door, her look of irritation falling away once she saw Dean’s face.

“Dean? What’s the matter?” She pulled him into the room and Cas followed. Charlie was already up off the bed and at Dean’s side. He thrust the phone into her hand.

“Oh my God! Whose phone is this? Yours?” She looked up at Cas who nodded weakly. Charlie turned back to the bed and grabbed her laptop out from under it. Sitting down on the bed she turned it on and a minute later was typing away like mad. Dorothy picked up Cas’ phone where Charlie had tossed it on the bed and read the message.

“What the hell? Someone’s threatening you, Dean?”

“Dick Roman, to be specific,” Charlie said. She was still typing away on her laptop.

“What did you get yourself into?” Dorothy asked, though she wasn’t sure if she was directing the question more at Charlie or Dean.

“It’s my fault. Dick is my ex, and he’s stalking me.” Cas took his phone back and reached out to touch Dean. He had expected the man to jump back, refuse to let him touch him, but instead Dean turned and wrapped him up in his arms.

“He’s not scaring me away. Nothing will.”

“I think I should call my sister. She’s a journalist with the Sun Times. Death threats against a semi-famous writer’s lover is like tabloid worthy, but my sister can put the right spin on it to make it catch the media’s attention. You don’t want to hide. If you hide, he wins. He’ll tear you two apart. If you show a united front even in the face of danger and actually shine a light on your relationship and how you’re sticking together, then you’ll become untouchable,” she said.

“That’s the same thing I said. I put it up on Dean’s Facebook that Cas proposed and he accepted. It sure got a reaction out of Dick. He was pissed!” The glint in Charlie’s eyes was wicked. Dean held Cas closer as they waited for Charlie to find something new.

“And…we’re in!” She turned the laptop so they could see.

“Isn’t it a bit late to try and catch him doing something?” Cas asked.

“I’ve been videotaping and going back through on fast forward and reviewing it when he’s in the room with that man. Mostly he’s spent the last few days complaining about how much he hates Christmas and having to spend time with family, but there have been a few delicious bits that I’ve caught,” Charlie replied.

“Such as?” Dean pressed.

“Such as he made arrangements for his private jet to fly him to Chicago on Monday. That’s the day he’s planning to show up at your work. He’s so well informed that he knows where we live, where Dorothy lives, where Bobby lives, like, if you didn’t show up to work, he’d show up somewhere you were at, just to confront you. He’s THAT vindictive,” she said.

“No shit,” Cas murmured.

“I figured as much. What can we do to stop this though?” Dean asked.

“Get married,” Dorothy and Charlie both replied. 

“We shouldn’t have to be forced into anything. Cas and I _will_ get married, in our own time, when _we’re_ ready, not because Dick fucking Roman is making death threats,” Dean snapped. He wasn’t mad at them, but he was furious with Dick Roman. He looked down at Cas who seemed so small standing next to him in his pajamas.

“I’ll call my sister now,” Dorothy grabbed her cell phone and left the room, closing the door behind her.

“What do we do in the meantime? They’re going to know I am coming to Chicago with you instead of returning to Montana, and then what?” Cas was biting at the nails on his right hand and Dean had to almost wrestle him to get him to drop it.

“I have an idea about that. I think we can get to Chicago without Dick Roman knowing we ever left. I hate to cut time with my family short, but I think if we play this carefully, we can get you to Chicago, but he’ll think you’re back in Montana. I can even arrange for you to be at the auto shop with me the day he shows up.” Dean tapped his chin as the wheels in his head started to turn. After a few minutes he realized both Charlie and Cas were staring at him.

“So what’s your plan?” Cas asked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was going to be a very narrow window of opportunity for Dean and Cas to escape without detection, and they were going to have to thank Frank later for helping them. 

The house had an attached garage where Frank had his pickup truck parked to make room in the driveway for Dean’s car and Sam’s truck. Dean hadn’t wanted to involve his parents, but he and Cas needed a ride to the train station, and their brothers would stick out like sore thumbs if either of them suddenly drove somewhere alone. So with a heavy heart, Dean told his folks everything. He was fairly certain his mother was ready to head to Springfield and kill Dick Roman herself, and that was if Frank didn’t beat her to it.

“But why can’t he know Cas is in Chicago?” they had both asked.

“If he knows Cas is in Chicago he will sugar coat everything to make himself seem like the good guy, but if he thinks Cas went back to Montana, he’ll be the bastard that we already know he is,” Dean explained.

“I don’t like this,” Mary fretted. This was too much. She didn’t want any of her kids, the Novak boys included, getting hurt by a selfish bastard like Dick Roman.

“Neither do we. We just need to catch him saying something incriminating that will make him leave our lives forever. I can’t lose Cas, Mom. And I’m not backing down and letting Dick try to ruin him again.” Dean was no quitter. Cas’ hand slipped into his own, and he gave it a gentle squeeze. 

“Ok. I just want you to be safe. You two have that interview Sunday, right?” she asked.

“Yes, and Gail has agreed to post the engagement article Monday, mostly because she gets to write a front-page worthy follow-up story afterwards. She’s going to be there too. I doubt Dick will know who she is,” Cas replied.

“Alright. I’ll pack you boys pie and leftovers to take home. You’re sure you can get into your apartment without being seen?” She pulled pies from the fridge and started cutting pieces.

“We’re not going to the apartment. I got my friend Victor to ask his father in law to rent a hotel room near the shop and I’ll be paying him back later. We’re planning to not use any cards til this is over,” her son explained.

“I just want this over with already.” Cas sighed and leaned his head on Dean’s shoulder.

“Me too, babe. Me too.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not sure where the cameras were aimed, the boys packed light, telling Mary and Frank they’d be stopping through to pick the rest up when they headed to Montana, and they climbed into the bed of the truck and hid under a tarp. Frank had bought a real tree like he did every year for Christmas and everyone had spent the night before removing all the ornaments and tinsel, and then breaking it down into kindling. They’d also bagged up every box left over from Christmas presents and tossed those in the trunk too. As long as neither Dean nor Cas moved, they would remain hidden under the bags full of cardboard and the tree limbs.

The dump was less than a mile from the train station, and Frank’s friend Elliott was waiting for them on the other side. Careful to maintain his speed, Frank drove to the dump. It wasn’t rocket science for him to spot the car following him, and once he knew it was there he began to worry. Still, cars at the dump were monitored and if you didn’t have garbage to drop off, you couldn’t enter. The little black sedan was trapped outside while Frank drove right in. He turned right, heading for the section where he could dispose of the cardboard since he knew it would get him close to the employee exit. Frank had connections here, too, and when he pulled up at the back gate he was greeted by a burly black man with a huge smile on his face.

“Hey Burt, thank you for doing this,” Frank said as he helped Cas out from under the tarp.

“No problem. You said one of your boys was in trouble. We're more than happy to help. Elliot's waiting on the other side of that gate for them.” Burt shook hands with both Dean and Cas. The radio on his hip crackled to life and he brought it to his ear to listen.

“Get moving, now. That black car was let in. They lied and said they were here to help you, Frank. Move!” Burt ushered the boys through the gate and out to the waiting car. They jumped in the backseat and laid down. Frank whistled as he slowly took bags of cardboard out of the back and tossed them into the heap in front of him. He didn’t turn to look when the black car appeared, driving suspiciously slow. It came to a stop a few feet away. 

“You need some help there?” A man asked as he got out of the car. His tone was friendly but the fact that he was dressed in a suit made Frank frown.

“Don’t want to get your fancy clothes all dirty,” he said.

“No worries, you look like you have a lot to dump. Here, let me grab a few bags and help.” The man stepped around to the back of the truck bed and Frank noted how his eyes scanned the floor before grabbing two of the bags.

“Thank you. My back’s been acting up lately. This is mighty kind of you.” Frank laid the southern charm on thick, and the woman who had been driving cracked a smile.

“Surprised you’re out here alone. Don’t you have kids to help you?” The man asked as he chucked his bags into the pile.

“They all woke up with killer hangovers this morning. I don’t drink but they were playing some kind of drinking game last night. Never heard of it before. You take a drink every time you’ve done something that someone says, until you’re fall down drunk. Anyway, my whole damn family played it, except me and my wife. She’s at home now catering to their hangovers. They’re all miserable,” Frank replied casually. He thought he deserved an Oscar for how smoothly he delivered that line.

“Oh, I think I’ve played a game before. Must have been a lot of confessions last night.” The man laughed as he tossed another bag.

“From how drunk they got, I’d assume so. I was busy catching up on the game I Tivo’d,” Frank laughed. He grabbed the tree and the man grabbed the other end.

“Where does this get dumped?”

“Next pile over.”

Frank deliberately moved slow. He’d heard the truck pulling away with Dean and Cas tucked safely in the back just before the black car had come around the corner, but he wanted to make extra sure they had time to get to the train station and board their train to Chicago. The guy in the suit didn’t seem to mind though, and so far he didn’t seem to be any wiser that they were being duped. They got the tree dumped just as Frank’s phone went off. 

“Ah, that would be the wife. Hopefully no one threw up anywhere but the toilet!” he said cheerily as he made his way back to the truck. It didn’t pass his notice that the woman was looking under the tarps in the back.

“Just making sure you didn’t miss anything,” she smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. It made Frank uncomfortable.

“Well, thank you. Have a nice day,” Frank said as he climbed back into the truck. He gave a wave before heading back to the entrance and pulling back out on the street. He just wanted to get home. Putting an end to Dick Roman and his crap couldn’t happen fast enough for his taste.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dean's plan is going to have to go off without a hitch in order for it to work the way he has planned. Dick Roman is rich and has eyes and ears everywhere. They have to be careful. But we're getting to the climax of this hell, and then we'll be back to fluff, I promise!
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments below. I love you guys, have a fantastic day!


	25. Cas and Dean head to Chicago

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas and Dean make it undetected to Chicago thanks to good family and friends that have their backs. They just have to keep the plan on track...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To give you a fair forewarning, we're almost to the end guys. You want longer chapters, but there's maybe one or two after this, and then I'll follow up with an epilogue. 
> 
> Next chapter will contain a glimmer of sunshine before we deal with Dick head on.

“You’re not being followed, and they can’t trace your phones, I made sure of that. In fact, I made sure that the only phones I left traceable were Mary’s and Frank’s. Now, when you get to Chicago, Victor’s wife Nena will be picking you up. She’s taking you to a motel near the shop that takes cash. Her father went ahead and pre-booked the room. It’s safer than using credit cards, harder to trace. I debated on sending you to their house but I wasn’t sure if they were being watched or not, and I didn’t want to risk it. This way the room will be in Nena’s father’s name for the night, but you two, as long as you don’t go gallivanting around, no one will notice it’s not him staying there. He’s paying for two nights. When this is over you can do the transfer like you said you would to cover them doing this for you. Monday you need to sneak Cas in early. The way they make it sound, the shop is only being watched during business hours, and it will definitely be watched Monday when they think you’re there working. So get Cas in early, let him hide in the back, and then you show up like usual. Now, I had Steve drive down here since he’s the only person I could think of that is close to your height and build. He’ll be wearing a hat so no one will notice his hair is blonde. He’s going to drive up with Dorothy. She found some of Cas’ clothes and as long as she stays in the car for the ride, no one should realize it’s not him. This is going to be tricky, but I think it will work. Frank will drive Gabe and me to rent a car tomorrow right after you leave, and I expect that we will be followed all the way back to Montana. We’ll be renting a room about ten hours into the trip. We won’t leave until we get word from you that you’ve spoken to Dick, and trust me, his phone, the camera in his car, his computer, it’ll all be tapped and I’ll be recording everything, and it will be sent in a file directly every news station in Chicago as well as every newspaper. He’s not going to get away with trying bully you guys anymore,” Charlie spoke with confidence and Dean was eager to draw on that for his own strength. He grabbed Cas’ hand, and they boarded the train. 

“I’ll text you when we get to the city and again when we get to the motel. You be safe on the drive out to Montana, and you tell Steve to be careful with my car or I’ll kill him,” He warned. Charlie’s plan to get Steve into the house was for Mary and Frank to throw a party. They’d already called dozens of people, and Steve was going to have his own car parked in Frank’s brother Ed’s garage and he would arrive to the party with them. Dean didn’t like how many people they had to get involved with this ruse, but he wanted this hell with Dick to be done and over with already, and the bastard was so good at covering his tracks and eliminating all evidence that just telling him to back off would never work, and he was not going to let the asshole ruin what he wanted to be an epic proposal to his boyfriend because his hand was forced. 

“This will all work out, and Dick will be gone from everyone’s lives once and for all. Have a good trip, I’ll see you in a few days,” she said.

“Damn right you will. Love you, Red. Be safe.” He hung up as they found their seats and looked over at Cas. 

“It’s ok, baby. We’ll be ok.” He kissed Cas gently on the lips before they sat down. Cas reached over, grabbing Dean’s hand and pulling it into his own lap to thread their fingers together.

“I know. I trust you, and I know Charlie is a force to be reckoned with. I look forward to all of this being over so we can go home,” Cas sighed as he leaned his head on Dean’s shoulder.

“Home,” Dean said softly, grinning to himself. Montana was his home now. Cas looked up just enough that he saw the smile on his boyfriend’s face, and it made him smile too.

“You’re happy about that?”

“It’s my home now. I’m still tripping over that. But really, anywhere you are is home to me. I love you.” He kissed the top of Cas’ head before turning to look out the window. 

“Yeah, not risking it,” he muttered, and pulled the shade down. 

“Time to have Sam start spreading the lies on Facebook.” Cas didn’t bother lifting his head as he pulled out his phone and sent a text to Sam. Once the message was sent, he turned the phone off and stuffed it back in his pocket. It was going to be a long ride to Chicago.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nena was waiting at the train station and she pulled Dean into a tight hug the moment she found them.

“What kind of trouble did you get yourself into?!” She hissed against his ear. 

“I didn’t. There’s an asshole, a politician, that’s stalking my boyfriend. He was watching us down in Kansas, and he’s watching me up here, so we had to sneak back so he didn’t know Cas was with me and not on his way back to Montana. It’s a long story and when all this is over I will happily tell you all about it, but for now, I just need to get him to that motel so he’s safe,” he whispered back. She gave him one last squeeze before stepping back and nodding. She looked at Cas and smiled warmly.

“So you’re the man that stole our boy’s heart, huh. Well aren’t you a handsome thing!” She held out her hand and he smiled as he shook it.

“The heart stealing was mutual,” he said.

“That’s good to know. Now I got you a room, booked it through til Wednesday, but if you need to drop the last day, they said that’s ok. I checked it out in advance and the place is clean, they have a continental breakfast, and I left some stuff there for you, for snacks so you don’t have to go out to get anything,” she said as they weaved their way through the crowds towards the east doors. “I’m parked around the corner. Sorry, I couldn’t get any closer.”

Dean slid his hat on and pulled it down tight over his ears as he pulled his hood up. Cas was doing the same. They followed Nena out and around the corner to her car. 

The ride to the motel was tense, and Dean couldn’t help but constantly look out the window, checking to make sure they weren’t being followed. From the back seat Cas tried to calm him with gentle touches and soft words but he was stressed out too. Neither man calmed until they were walking into the actual motel room.

“Ok, if you need anything, and I mean anything, you call me, you hear?” Nena said.

“Of course, sweetie. And thank you, for all of this. I’ll get the money back to your dad when this is all over and I can get to the bank,” Dean told her.

“I will. I caused this. Don’t argue with me.” Cas shot a pointed look at Dean before looking at Nena. She smiled and hugged him.

“You both just be safe.”

“We will,” he promised.

They said their goodbyes and then they were alone. Dean pulled his phone out and shot off a text to Charlie.

Dean: At motel. Where is he and what is he doing?

Charlie responded quickly.

Charlie: Ok, so Gabe and I are about six hours in. We have a tail. I’m monitoring Dick’s phone and so far they’re not on to us. So, plan as usual.

Dean: Ok. Let me know when you reach the motel.

“They have a tail but they haven’t been made, so for now, everything is still on schedule,” he said. Cas was closing the curtains and setting the deadbolt on the door, but he nodded. 

“This scares me, Dean. I didn’t think Dick was like this. He didn’t strike me as being this kind of person. If I’d had any inkling that he was a psychopath I swear I’d never have gone out with him. I don’t want anyone getting hurt because of me.” He stripped his coat and hat off, setting them on a chair by the table in the corner before sitting on the edge of the bed. Dean stripped out of his own coat and hat before kneeling down in front of his boyfriend.

“Hey, this is not your fault. You’re the victim here; he targeted you. He is the one at fault here, do not blame yourself. He’s going down, and when he’s gone, we’re going to get on with our lives. We’re going to be happy, Cas. Despite all of this, I still am. As long as I’m with you, I’m happy.” He took Cas’ left hand in his and turned it palm up before placing a soft kiss against it.

“I’m happy too, Dean. Always with you. I’m just scared. It would destroy me if someone in your family got hurt because of this. I care about them so much.” Cas closed his eyes as a shudder overcame him. There was no way he’d be able to live with himself if Dean or anyone in the family he was growing to love so much were hurt. Dean wrapped his arms around Cas’ waist and laid his head on the man’s chest.

“That’s not going to happen. Dick Roman’s not half as smart as he thinks he is, and…I think whoever sent that message? They’re on our side. If they weren’t why would they have notified us?”

“How did they know we were watching though? Charlie says she was covering her tracks,” Cas wondered.

“I don’t know. She’s too good to get caught, so they must have known some other way.” Dean pulled back and leaned down to remove Cas’ shoes and socks.

“What are you doing?” Cas asked.

“Taking care of you,” Dean replied. Cas smiled warmly and ran his fingers through Dean’s hair.

“You’re so good to me.” 

Dean smiled up at him as he unbuttoned Cas’ jeans and slid the zipper down. “Lay down, baby. Relax.” Cas laid back against the pillows, lifting his hips so Dean could pull the pants off. Once they were off Dean worked the covers out from under him and tucked him in. It wasn’t late enough to go to sleep, but he understood what was happening. It was calming for Dean to take control and to take care of him. It was something Dean felt he was good at, taking care of the people he loved. He watched as Dean stripped down to his own tee shirt and boxers and checked the locks one more time. 

“Did you check to see if Sam got back to you? Or you got any more messages from our mystery friend?” Dean asked as he slid under the covers.

“No, should I?” Cas asked. 

“Yeah, I think it would a good idea,” Dean said. Cas nodded and reached over to the chair to grab his coat. He pulled out his phone and turned it on. It chimed with multiple notifications.

“I have one from Sam,” he murmured as he snuggled in close to Dean.

“What did he say?” 

“Says he put the notifications up on both of our walls.” He held the phone out so Dean could read the message.

“Good. Charlie will call when she gets to the motel and let me know what she finds.” He handed the phone back. It chimed with another notification.

“Dean!” Cas read the message and thrust the phone back at his boyfriend. Dean grabbed it and read it.

Unknown Caller: _I tell you that your boyfriend has a hit on him and you just return to Montana? Do you want him to die? I can’t stop Dick Roman. No one can. He’s not going to give up until he has you back_.

Cas shuddered and buried his face against Dean’s chest. “This needs to stop. I’m so scared he’s going to do something to you.”

“You trust me, right?” Dean asked as he ran his fingers through Cas’ hair.

“Of course.”

“Then trust in this plan. Dick Roman’s not only going to stop harassing, us but his entire pyramid is going to crumble. I’ll keep you safe, I promise.” Dean kissed his boyfriend’s forehead. All they could do now was wait for Charlie to call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next chapter you'll see Dick's world crumble. Get ready!
> 
> Leave a comment, let me know what you think...


	26. Spilling to the Press

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dorothy's sister Gail shows up at the motel to interview them, and Cas spills everything about Dick to her. She's part of Dean's plan the next morning. Like a well oiled machine, things need to continue to move smoothly in order for the plan to work.
> 
> Dean and Cas have a life changing talk over cold cereal and black coffee the following morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All I'm gonna say is....You're welcome. Enjoy the chapter!

Gail arrived at the motel at 10 p.m. as planned. By then Cas and Dean were up and dressed once again, both having taken showers and eaten some of the food Nena had left. Dean checked before he opened the door. 

“Dean?” she asked softly. He nodded.

“You’re Dorothy’s sister?” 

“Yes. She filled me in, off the record of course, and I’m here to do what I can to help, not just to get a story on the front page. I hate Dick Roman too. He bought his way into office, and he needs to be stopped. I’m more than happy to help bring him down,” she said. He opened the door wider so she could come inside. 

“Dorothy said we can trust you. I trust Dorothy, so I hope she’s right,” he said as he closed the door. 

“Of course. So if I understood my sister correctly Dick has been stalking…you?” She turned to look at Cas. He nodded.

“And you’re getting death threats?” 

“Anonymous ones.” Cas pulled his phone out and showed her the two messages. She frowned deeply as she read them before handing the phone back.

“So why don’t we start at the very beginning. When did Dick Roman first ask you out?”

Cas glanced nervously at Dean before turning his gaze back on Gail. He didn’t want to talk about his relationship with Dick in front of Dean. Hell, he didn’t want to talk about Dick at all, ever again.

“It’s ok, baby, I’m not going to judge you for your past. We all have one, but if it would make you more comfortable I can go and sit in the bathroom,” Dean offered.

“N-no, I have nothing to hide.” Cas pulled nervously at the hem of his tee shirt as he gathered his thoughts.

“So I met Dick in a café in Springfield, in the summer of 2012…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was painful for Dean to sit and listen to Cas talk about his relationship with Dick Roman but he remained quiet and kept his expression neutral as Cas related the cruel things Dick had said and done over the course of their relationship. All it did was make Dean hate the bastard more than ever. Gail wrote quickly, taking notes when Cas instructed her to, when he felt that some information he was providing was pertinent. When they finished he asked to look at her notebook, which she gladly handed over. Dean joined in with telling her what they had been experiencing since they started dating, right up to their plans the following morning. 

“So what you’ll run in the paper tomorrow is an engagement announcement, is that correct?” Cas wanted to clarify exactly what was going on.

“That’s right. We know that Dick’s people read the papers and alert him to any pertinent information. All politicians do it to protect themselves from possible harmful information being leaked. Usually they get a heads up in advance about damaging information, but I had a talk with my boss and she will run this as a last minute story on the promise that Tuesday morning I have a story that is front page worthy. You’re certain this will be front page worthy?” She looked between the two men, both of whom were nodding.

“A lot of what we have already was obtained illegally but…it can conveniently be forwarded directly to your work computer right after tomorrow,” Dean said. 

“Is it traceable?” she asked.

“It won’t be,” he replied. She rolled her tongue against the inside of her cheek as she weighed whether or not it would be worth it to finally get her name on the front page.

“Alright. So, what time do I need to be there tomorrow?” she asked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dean couldn’t get to sleep after Gail left, no matter how hard he tried. Next to him Cas was tossing and turning, his face contorting as the nightmares pulled him deeper. Gently Dean shook him, waking him. Under the edges of the drawn curtains he noticed the slight lightening of the sky. The alarm he had set had not yet gone off but once Cas was awake there was no getting back to sleep for him either. They dressed and trudged over to the room where breakfast was being served. As they sat down to bowls of cereal, buttered bagels, and black coffee, they checked their phones. Charlie had called briefly the night before but he had several texts waiting this morning from a variety of people.

Charlie: Cover is still good. No news is good news. Roman left for Chicago tonight, is booked at the Hilton downtown. Dummy brought his laptop with him.

Sam: Your FB pages are exploding and Aunt Peggy called the house. Mom asked her to hold off on calling you til Wednesday. Frank’s mom called too, wants you to call her back when you have the time. Mom has done damage control as best she can. Let me know you guys are ok.

Gabe: You guys get there ok? Charlie said you did, but I’m still worried. Is Cas ok? Text me when you get a chance. I’m chewing my fingernails off here from the stress.

Charlie: Roman’s called in his men. Be prepared for him to show up by ten thirty.

Dean felt his heart leap into his throat and the acid rising up in his stomach. Suddenly he wasn’t hungry anymore.

“Dean?” 

He looked up to see Cas watching him, his eyes full of concern.

“Roman’s on the move. He’ll be at the shop by ten thirty,” he said.

“What time do you usually start?” Cas asked.

“I’m usually there by eight. Shop opens at ten. If he’s been watching me then he’s familiar with my routine. It has to be business as usual, so I’m going to drop you off early and then backtrack to meet Steve and get my car. You’re going to stay in my office. I always get in first so when you hear the door open the second time, it will be me. I spend the first two hours going over paperwork and invoices before my guys start arriving. This week I’ll be incorporating a printer with a scanner so Benny can send me everything once we’re back home, that way I can continue to handle the paperwork end of things, so there’s a possibility Benny might come in early even though he has been instructed to come in at his normal time, which is nine thirty. There’s a couch in my office you can take a nap on if you want,” Dean explained.

“Like I’ll be able to sleep,” Cas scoffed. Dean smirked over the rim of his cup.

“Yeah, I know. But at least try to relax? We need to keep our wits about us or this will all be screwed up.” He reached across the table and took Cas’ hand.

“I’ll stay calm, you can count on me,” Cas said firmly. He squeezed Dean’s hand. That reminded Dean.

“Hey, I borrowed something from Frank’s dad to make this even more authentic,” he said as he reached into his coat pocket. Cas was watching him curiously, his eyes widening when he saw what was in Dean’s hand.

“Dean, that’s a…” Cas’ jaw went slack in amazement when he saw the silver ring in his boyfriend’s hand. Dean smiled and turned the small piece of metal around in his hands. 

“My mom suggested it, actually. Frank couldn’t get his off, but his mom had given him his dad’s ring after his dad passed away, for him to pass down to his own kids someday. Frank said I am his, and he wanted me to have it. Ideally I wanted to someday put this on _your finger_ , but since Charlie said it was you that proposed to me, I’ll be wearing it today.” He went to slide the ring on but Cas placed a hand over the one holding the ring and stopped him. He looked up questioningly. “What?”

“This feels wrong. I should be the one putting it on your finger. I don’t _want_ this to just be pretending for the sake of fooling my ex. I love you, Dean,” Cas got up from the table and gently took the ring from Dean’s hand. He knelt down in front of his boyfriend. “So if we’re going to do this, we’re going to do this right. We can play musical rings later and I’ll wear this one, but for now…Dean Winchester, will you marry me?”

Dean felt like the wind had just been knocked out of him completely. He sat in stunned silence for a moment before finally nodding, rather enthusiastically.

“Yes, Cas, I will.” It came out as a choked whisper as his eyes filled with tears. Cas gently took the ring and slid it onto Dean’s fingers as his eyes filled with his own joyful tears. He wrapped Dean up in his arms and kissed him.

“You’re a bastard, you know that?” Dean was laughing and wiping at his eyes as Cas sat back down in his seat. Cas grinned.

“How so?”

“Because I _knew_ you were going to beat me to it.” Dean shook his head, unable to shake the stupid, happy grin on his face. Cas snorted, his already wide grin growing even bigger until it was all teeth and gums.

“Like I’d sit around waiting,” Cas scoffed. “I’m too impatient.”

“What happened to your plan to wait?” Dean asked as he reached across the table to take Cas’ hand.

“Yeah, that got thrown out the window about five seconds after I thought it,” he laughed. Dean looked at the ring on his finger in awe. Yeah, there was no way this was ever coming off again. Cas would get a different one later.

“Well, I suppose we should get going,” he said. Cas’ smile faltered, fading back into his previous look of concern.

“I’m so not ready for this,” he said worriedly. 

“It’ll be ok, baby. We’re a united front against him,” Dean reassured.

“Can we just get this over with then?” 

“Of course.” Dean kissed the back of his hand and pulled Cas to his feet. “Let’s get moving.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Snuck that in there, didn't I? Did you think I'd let that slide? I hope you liked it. Leave a comment, let me know what you think!


	27. The Utter Destruction of Dick Roman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick Roman shows up, but Dean's ready for him...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shhh, don't cheer too loud, you'll wake your neighbors...

Dean checked with Charlie before he and Cas got on the bus to head to the shop. She gave them the all clear so Dean dropped Cas off, his heart leaping into his throat where it remained all the way to the gas station near his apartment where he was meeting Steve. It was a busy one this time of the morning and he met up with the man in the bathroom where they swapped coats and Dean took the car keys back.

“I spotted the tail. It’s a Continental, black, a man and a woman in it. Same one that followed me up from your folks’ house,” Steve said.

“Yeah, not surprised. Thank you for doing this.”

“Where’s your boyfriend?” Steve asked.

“Not here. But he’s safe. I’ll see you later down at the shop. Ray’s picking you up and driving you in, right?” Dean pocketed the keys and looked over at the other man.

“Yeah, he’ll be here in about twenty as long as traffic isn’t ridiculous.”

“It is. Be safe, I’ll see you at the shop later.” Dean patted his arm.

“You’re the one that needs to be safe, dude. I want to meet your better half later. I hear he’s famous,” Steve grinned.

“He will be after this,” Dean gave a short laugh. Not the fame Cas was looking for, but hey, he was pretty sure it would boost his boyfriend’s book sales.

Dean grabbed a cup of coffee, making sure to use his credit card so that if his transactions were being tracked, they’d know he was here. He walked casually out to the Impala, even though he was pretty sure his heart was going to beat right out of his chest. He was three quarters of the way back to the shop when his phone rang. He popped his bluetooth piece in his ear and accepted the call.

“Talk to me,” he said.

“Dean? You to the shop yet?” Charlie asked.

“Almost. Traffic’s a bitch,” he replied.

“Ok, you’ve got a tail, but you’ve got eyes on the shop already too. Be cool.” 

He pulled into the shop parking lot and drove around to his usual spot in the back.

“I’m here. Walking inside now.” As he’d started around to the back he’d seen the Continental continue on past the shop, and not knowing if there were ears on the outside of the shop or not, he changed his tone and what he was saying.

“So I expect the new printer should be here either today or tomorrow. I have a car I need to work on this morning, a tune up, because Benny has to do a transmission rebuild…”

He closed the door once he was inside and exhaled.

“You’re certain there are no ears in here?” he whispered.

“I’ve been monitoring the alarm system, and Bobby’s been at the shop all week watching people to make sure no one unauthorized goes in the back. Said some people tried yesterday, a man in baseball cap and a Notre Dame jersey tried to wander into the back yesterday, but Bobby booted him. And later, closer to closing a woman tried, but Benny escorted her from the shop. I have a monitor on the news feed, and I had Bobby add in another secret camera directly over the door. No one came in after hours, I’m sure of it,” she replied. He let out the breath he’d been holding in and hurried to his office. The door was locked so he pulled out his key and unlocked it. Cas was sitting behind the desk when he walked in.

“Hey,” he smiled at his boyfriend as he closed the door and locked it again.

“Hey. Sorry, I was bored, so I was reviewing your inventory.” Cas replied with a sheepish grin.

“It’s alright. Everything look up to par?” he asked.

“Oh, yeah. You really run this place like a well-oiled machine. I hope Benny can live up to your legacy,” Cas teased. Dean smiled as he slumped down into a chair on the other side of his desk and began going through the stack of invoices sitting there.

“I really hope the new printer comes soon.”

“Want me to check UPS for you?” Charlie asked. He’d almost forgotten she was still on the phone and he jumped.

“What?” Cas asked nervously.

“Charlie’s on the phone,” he said. Cas nodded. “Yeah, Red, check UPS for me please. Let me know where it’s at. I do have some work to do, so call me at ten. I’ll keep you on the phone when Roman gets here,” he told his friend.

“You got it, sexy. Talk to you later.” She hung up, and Dean went back to looking at the invoices.

“Can I switch with you, babe? So I can enter these in the computer.” 

“Of course.” Cas stood up and they swapped seats quickly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next hour and a half was spent entering two weeks’ worth of invoices into the computer. Dean was quick and efficient and Cas was enthralled just watching him work. He asked questions occasionally, but mostly he just listened as Dean explained the ins and outs of running an auto shop. He wanted to know everything Dean was willing to share so that when the new one opened in Montana he could help with it. 

When someone knocked on the office door promptly at 9:30, Cas jumped and gasped.

“Shh, sweetheart, it’s Benny or Bobby,” Dean assured him as he got up to open the door. 

“Hey, brother!” Benny greeted, a huge smile on his face. He grabbed Dean and hugged him. Dean hugged him back. 

“Hey Benny, come on in, I want you to meet Cas.” Dean stepped aside and motioned for his friend to come in. Cas stood up as Benny entered the room and offered his hand.

“Hello, Benny. It’s nice to meet you; Dean speaks quite highly of you,” he said. Benny grinned and grabbed his hand, pumping it firmly in greeting.

“Nice to meet you too. Dean couldn’t stop talking about you. He couldn’t wait to get out to Montana. I swear his pants were on fire that last day before he left, he couldn’t get out of here fast enough,” Benny said with a laugh.

“Hey, shut up,” Dean grinned and punched his friend lightly in the shoulder. 

“Where are you from? Your dialect, I’m guessing Louisiana?” Cas asked. Benny’s smiled widened.

“And you’d be right. I’m the Cajun transplant. I like it here though. Been in Chicago a while now.” 

“This is maybe my third time here, though I wish it were under better circumstances.” Cas said, his smile faltering slightly. 

“When it’s over I’ll personally give you a tour. It’s a fantastic city.” Benny’s smile became sympathetic before he turned to look at Dean again.

“I’d like that. It would be nice to see the city under…calmer circumstances,” Cas said as his eyes met Dean’s. 

“So, what are you doing, invoices? I tried entering a couple, but I think I’ll like it much better when the printer comes and I can just scan them and send them to you. Are you going to be overwhelmed though? Cause you’ll be doing invoicing there too,” Benny asked worriedly. “I can learn it if you want me to.”

“Nah, I like the invoicing, and you know I’m a stickler about the numbers. I’ll handle it. Soon as we get back we’ll be starting the remodeling, and then I’ll be starting the hiring process. Since I’m heading out there earlier we might be able to get it open by spring instead of summer.” Dean looked to Cas, who smiled brightly and nodded.

“And I’ll still help with anything you need this summer,” he said.

“I’d come help too if I could. Anything I can do from here, though, please let me know,” Benny added.

“Well, for now we have to get ready for an asshole senator to show up. You talked to Charlie?” Dean checked his watch. Nine forty. Less than an hour until Dick fucking Roman showed up to start shit.

“Sure did. She told me my part, and I picked up the disposable phone like she told me to. I put it in my father in law’s name so when this is all over he’s actually going to get the phone,” Benny chuckled.

“Ok. So what’s the number?”

 

Dean gave Cas a pair of overalls to put on and a baseball cap that would hide his face as long as he ducked his head and left Cas to put it all on while he and Benny went through the opening process. They already had three cars waiting, one of which was Gail’s. He checked the appointments and determined that one of them was there for a tune up. 

“I’ll take the first tune up,” he said softly so only Benny could hear him. The other man nodded before giving orders to staff that was just showing up. Dean stood back with his hands on his hips, grinning as he watched the man. He felt good about leaving Benny in charge when left. When Victor walked in he motioned for him to pull the first tune up into bay one, and the man nodded before going to get the keys from the owner. Dean’s eyes skimmed over Gail who was waiting in the lobby, just long enough to acknowledge that he knew she was there before he began giving orders to Kevin, the kid that worked behind the counter. 

“Get everyone signed in, Kevin. Stay on top of that. It keeps everything flowing smoothly when they’re signed in and cuts down on wait time,” he said. The young man nodded and motioned to the owner of the car Victor was pulling into the garage now for them to come to the counter. Once Dean was certain Kevin had it under control, he had Victor help him through the tune up. No new suspicious cars had pulled up, so no senator yet. His phone vibrated in his pocket so he pulled it out.

Cas: Time to come up front now?”

Dean quickly responded.

Dean: Yeah, but remember to grab that stack of boxes off the table in the hall, and keep your head turned away from the open bay doors.

He was putting the phone back when it rang. Turning away from the bay doors he ducked down in front of the car and tapped his earpiece to accept the call.

“Talk to me,” he said softly.

“It’s me. I am tracking the GPS on his phone and he’s about ten minutes away. He’s stuck in traffic,” Charlie said. He grunted in response as he stood up.

“Ok, I get it, they’re watching. Good thing I scrambled their mics.” She was smug, and it made him snort as he tightened the last spark plug.

“Move it out!” he ordered. Steve had arrived and rushed forward to pull the car out to the parking lot. Victor was already pulling Gail’s car in. Cas had walked in and was setting the boxes on top of a toolbox at the back of the bay. Gail stepped into the bay and began explaining imaginary issues that were going on with her car.

“It’s dying at stop lights, and I’m having trouble accelerating…” She was ticking off issues on each finger, and he nodded as he listened. He asked standard car maintenance questions while they waited for Dick Roman to appear.

“You, get under here and check the oil pan,” Dean ordered. Cas nodded and dropped down to lay down on the creeper and a moment later he was under the car, only his legs sticking out. 

“Vic, check the oil filter, now!” He was already bent over the car checking the oils. Gail was still giving off car information and he nodded, continuing to give orders to Victor and to Cas, though he deliberately refrained from using Cas’ name.

“He’s there now, should be pulling into the lot,” Charlie said in his ear. He looked up in time to see a sleek, black Cadillac pulling in.

“Benny! We got another customer!” he shouted. “Sorry,” he whispered after that to Charlie. Gail was doing an excellent job of trying to act like an actual customer.

“It’s cool, I have you on speakerphone so you’re not blowing out my eardrums,” she laughed. He snorted but didn’t answer. 

“Dean?”

He looked up to see Kevin standing in the doorway between the lobby and the garage.

“Yeah?” he asked.

Kevin fidgeted and glanced back over his shoulder into the lobby. “There’s, uh, a guy in a suit here to see you.” Dean’s heart leapt further into his throat but he kept his expression neutral.

“Good for him. Did you get a name? What company he’s with?” 

“Uh, no. He says he’s an acquaintance. Wants to speak with you,” Kevin replied. Dean let out a deliberately exaggerated groan and scowled.

“Well send him in here. This lady needs her car to get to work; I’m not leaving to go chat when I have work to do,” he snapped. He made a mental note to apologize to Kevin for his attitude later. The kid nodded and hurried back into the lobby. Dean took a steadying breath and bent back over the engine.

“Relax. Be cool,” Victor said quietly, not looking up from where he was topping off the transmission fluid. Dean grunted and nodded. 

“When he’s done under there, you’ll need to top off the oil too,” he was saying just as he heard the door open.

“Dean, here he is,” Kevin said. Dean turned to Gail with an apologetic expression.

“Forgive me ma’am for this interruption,” he told her. She crossed her arms and nodded.

“Can I finish telling _him_ what’s wrong with my car?” She nodded towards Victor. 

“Of course.” Dean turned his attention to the man that was standing a few feet away with his hands in the pockets of his dress pants and a smug smile on his face. “Can I help you? Kevin said you’re an acquaintance, but I don’t remember ever meeting you.” He deliberately eyed Dick in a way that made the smile falter on the other man’s lips and he squirmed under Dean’s gaze.

“I think you know exactly who I am,” Dick said, his smugness still apparent in his voice. Dean crossed his arms and pursed his lips.

“Did one of my guys mess up work on your car? I can provide the information to our insurance if that’s the problem.” Dick frowned for a moment, the smile fading away completely.

“No, it’s not-” He took a deep breath through his nose, his nostrils flaring as he exhaled. Dean could tell he was ticking the man off and that made him very happy.

“Then what? I have a business to run. I really don’t have time for chit chat,” Dean arched an eyebrow and waited for the man to tell him why he was there.

“You’re rude, do you realize that? How exactly do people willingly come and do business here?” Dick snapped.

“It’s Monday, I’m swamped, I’m sorry if I come off as rude, I just got back from visiting family and I’m exhausted. What can I do for you?” Dean was enjoying being on the giving end of some hell. Dick straightened his tie and gave a brief nod, accepting Dean’s apology.

“I called you last week. My name is Richard Roman.” And oh….that smug goddamn smile was back. Dean narrowed his eyes and dropped his arms.

“What the hell are you doing here? I have nothing to say to you,” he snapped. Dick flashed his best ‘I’m an asshole’ smile, which to Dean looked very much like the one from his campaign ads that Charlie had showed him online. 

“Oh, but I have so much to say to you, Dean. It would seem that you are still involved with Castiel. I thought I would enlighten you about some things from his past.” Damn the asshole was smug! Dean glared at the man, crossing his arms again.

“I don’t care what you have to say. I’m marrying him. This year, in fact. He proposed, I said yes, end of story.” He waggled the fingers of his left hand where Frank’s father’s borrowed wedding band sat. If looks could kill, Dean knew he’d have been dead in that moment. He shot back a smug look of his own just for good measure. “Now if you’ll excuse me…” 

“He was a whore. A prostitute, when he was a teenager. Sucked cocks for money. Do you really want him sucking yours? He’s nothing but a slut. I’m sure you don’t want that filthy mouth on you.” There was venom in Dick’s voice that actually startled Dean.

“Wow…” Charlie whispered in his ear.

“So let me get this straight, _Dick_ ,” he spat the man’s nickname out on purpose. “You came all the way to my work from wherever the hell it is that you live because you want to break up my relationship? You’re that hell bent on destroying my life? _Cas’_ life? You’re a real asshole, you know that? Cas might not have told _you_ about that time in his life, but he told me because we trust one another. And I’m guessing that since you went digging that far back into his life looking for dirt I can assume that you dug into mine as well, and you know that my biological father was an alcoholic, abusive asshole that rejected me for my attraction to men. Well, guess what? EVERYONE knows that! Cas included, and he accepts me regardless. He’s in love with me, something he told me he never was with you, and I am in love with him. So you came in here for nothing. I’m not breaking up with Cas. I mean, unless Cas _wants_ to break up. Do you, Cas?” Dean took a vicious sort of pleasure in the look of shock and then fear on Dick Roman’s face as Cas slid out from under the car and stood up. Dean turned around to see the glaring hatred in his boyfriend’s eyes. It was terrifying, and he was glad it wasn’t him on the receiving end of it.

“Castiel…how…when…you’re supposed to be in Montana!” Dick cried.

“Well I’m _not_! You son of a bitch! Who the hell do you think you are coming to my fiancé’s job just to try and reveal my past? You are the most disgusting, sick person I have ever met in my life and whatever this motive was that you had by coming in here, I hope it has backfired in its entirety. I want you to do one thing for me Dick. _Go to hell_!!!” Dick actually looked scared. He looked out towards the car across the street, but they weren’t coming to his aid.

“Oh, I just sent some info to the FBI…” Charlie sang softly in Dean’s ear. “Starting with that entire conversation, but I sent the tapes and the death threats too.”

“Castiel…please…” Dick pleaded. He reached out towards Cas who took a step back, his disgust blatantly apparent. 

“How on Earth could you possibly think I would leave Dean, the man I asked to marry me, that I love with every ounce of my being and want to spend the rest of my life with, and come back to you? You’re an awful, cruel man, Dick. You don’t know how to love, and I don’t love you. God knows I tried, but I couldn’t. You need to stop bullying me and bullying my family because I’m never coming back to you. I am physically repulsed by you, Dick.” Cas shook his head sadly and reached out to take Dean’s hand. He ran a thumb over the ring sitting on Dean’s finger before threading their fingers together.

“Did you really think coming here and airing my dirty laundry to Dean, to his customers, to his employees, was going to make me come back to you? What’s your next plan, kill Dean? I’d kill myself if that happened. So get it through your thick, over-privileged head, I am not now, nor will I _ever_ come back to you. We ended almost three years ago when I moved halfway across the country to get away from you, in case _that_ wasn’t indication enough that we were through. _You_ are not good enough for _me_. I know that now. It’s not the other way around. My past is my business. If I want to share it, that’s my prerogative. But since you seem to think it’s ok to blast it, I think I’ll go ahead and put that in my interview with the Chicago Sun Times. It could possibly have worked in your favor to garner votes when you run for president to have a spouse that used to suck dicks just to keep from starving to death after his homophobic parents rejected him, or it could horribly backfire and forever ruin your chances. Good thing you’ll never know.” Cas gave Dean’s hand a firm pull until Dean was pressed up against him, and he slipped his arm around the man’s waist. He turned around to look at Gail who eased forward with a small smile on her lips.

“Would that do well for your article? Along with the death threats we’ve been receiving?” He asked her.

“Oh, I believe that will be sufficient. So will the footage I’ve recorded, that the shop has recorded, and that was already forwarded to the FBI,” she said.

“And Homeland Security, and the NSA, and Obama himself. I happen to know for a fact the president was reading his emails not ten minutes ago, and he got the Jpeg file I sent. It wasn’t me that contacted Homeland Security!” Charlie said in Dean’s ear. He couldn’t help but smile.

“So, if that was all you came here to say, I think we’re finished, _Senator_. I have a new manager to finish training so that I can go _home_ with my fiancé to Montana.” Dean turned back to the car that Victor was standing on the other side of just as all the employees burst into cheers. He grinned at them. Dick Roman was still standing there, numb with shock, unsure exactly how everything had managed to go to hell in the span of five minutes.

“Leave, Dick,” Cas pointed at the door.

“This isn’t over, Castiel,” Dick snarled.

“Oh, but it is, Mr. Roman,” a man behind Dick said, making the senator jump.

“Carl? What are you talking about? You work for me! It’s done when I say it’s done!”

“I have new orders that come from much higher up than you. Richard Roman, you are under arrest for more things than I can list at this moment, but since we have a rather long flight to D.C., I’m sure I can fill you in on all of them.” Carl grabbed Dick’s hands as the man began to protest and cuffed him. He looked apologetically at Cas.

“I am sorry for everything he has put you both through. Good thing someone gave you a heads up.” He winked and Cas gasped, looking over at Dean who had turned back around and had a matching look of shock on his face.

“Yeah, good thing.” Dean’s expression shifted into a full-on grin as he pulled Cas close and kissed him. As Dick Roman was escorted from the shop everyone, including other customers, erupted in cheers, clapping as loud as they could.

“We’re done? Is he out of our lives for good?” Dean asked Charlie.

“Oh, he’s done. I’m monitoring the emails being shot back and forth. He’s being stripped of his senate seat, and I expect by the end of the week he’ll be bankrupt from the impending lawsuit you’ll be filing and that other people he has steamrolled will be filing. You guys are set for life. Buy me a house after this, I deserve it!” she cried. Dean laughed.

“Of course, Red, you do deserve it!”

“I want it out by you. When I’m done at MIT, that’s where I’ll be calling home,” she said. That made Dean smile, and he looked down at his fiancé again.

“Yeah, home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we have brought down an asshole. One more small fluff chapter after this and we're done. I will follow up in a few days with an epilogue. It's been a fun ride! I love you guys! Leave a comment, I expect my newly cleared inbox to blow up with them cheering Dick's destruction! I look forward to them!!!


	28. A Happy Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They boys get things ready before the head back to Montana. Gathering friends, they have one last dinner before they go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's short, but sweet. I hope you like it. :)

Cas made the necessary phone calls to his job to notify them that he would need at least another week off, and he was granted it. Gabe drove Charlie back to Kansas, where she met up with Dorothy and they flew back home to Chicago. Dean got Benny as prepared as he possibly could and did a happy dance when the new printer arrived. He walked Benny, Victor and Kevin through how to send him the inventory and invoices via scanning and fax, and took some time that weekend to show Cas around the city. 

With Charlie’s guidance, Cas packed while Dean was at work. Their evenings were spent together relaxing or with whatever friends stopped by to meet Cas or just spend time with them before Dean was gone for good. Dorothy officially moved in with help from them all and the night before they were set to return to Montana, Dean and Cas invited the girls, Benny and his wife, and Victor and Nena out to dinner.

“You’re still planning to come back into the city, right?” Benny asked after they had ordered their food.

“Oh, absolutely. I’ll be in at least twice a year, but you can expect random inspections too, especially after Bobby officially retires and everything moves over into my name,” Dean said.

“We can’t wait to come see the house. From the pictures you were posting on Facebook, it’s stunning,” Nena said.

“It’s gorgeous. There’s room. Might add on later if we need to, right?” Dean looked to Cas, who nodded.

“Another spare bedroom or two couldn’t hurt, especially since Dean will need his own office. Right now I have mine in what was supposed to be the den. I converted it to my office, but there’s space to put in another one. Until then he’ll be making use of one of the second floor bedrooms for that,” Cas explained.

“As long as there’s room for me to crash, I don’t care where I sleep.” Charlie waved a hand for effect, making them all laugh. She spotted the ring still sitting on Dean’s hand.

“Hey, when are you going to take that off? Roman’s being prosecuted, he can’t hurt you guys anymore. No need to pretend anymore.” 

Dean smiled over at Cas before taking his hand. “No pretending needed. Cas proposed last week. Clearly I said yes or I wouldn’t still be wearing this.” He waggled his fingers for effect.

“Knew it,” Nena said, smiling. Victor laughed and nodded.

“We had a bet going to see who was going to ask first, and to see if the whole fake engagement announcement would spur one of you into action. I lost. I thought it would be Dean.” He fished out his wallet and handed his wife a twenty who gladly took it, kissing her husband gently as she did.

“Damn, you guys are awful,” Dean laughed.

“What are you talking about? I have a bet going with your mother!” Dorothy groaned and rolled her eyes.

“What?!” Cas and Dean both cried.

“Oh, shut up,” Charlie laughed. The boys grinned and Dean’s cheeks turned red when Cas leaned in to kiss his temple.

“So cute they make sick,” Benny’s wife, Andrea, teased.

“Got that right. Drea and I will coming out for Fourth of July with the kids. Victor will have the shop that week. You sure you’ll be ready for us by then?” Benny asked.

“Can’t wait. We’ll take the kids horseback riding and hiking. It’ll be fun,” Cas replied.

“Good. I look forward to being up in the mountains and getting to breathe in that fresh, country air,” Benny sighed as he daydreamed about it. While he loved Chicago, he did not love the pollution.

“It will be wonderful. There’s more to do than people think,” Cas said.

“And I can’t wait to show you the greenhouse!” Dean added excitedly.

“You and your darn vegetables. At least there won’t be tomatoes growing on my kitchen counter anymore,” Charlie said, grinning.

“You’re going to miss my cooking, admit it,” Dean teased.

“Darn right I will, that’s why I’m moving out there when I’m done at MIT!”

“And I go wherever she goes. I’m flexible,” Dorothy shrugged.

“Tmi, Dorothy, tmi,” Dean joked. She reached across the table to smack his arm, which just made him laugh harder.

“Don’t go there, Dean, cause you know I’ll make you blush like a schoolgirl,” Charlie warned. The threat alone made his cheeks turn rosy. Cas snorted and covered his mouth with a fist to hide his smile. So far he hadn’t met any people in Dean’s life that he didn’t like. Everyone was nice and very accepting, and like one, big extended family. It made him feel warm inside and as Dean launched into a conversation with Victor about grilling vegetables, he leaned into his fiancé, resting his head on the man’s shoulder. Life was good once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, that's it. In a few days I'll work on an epilogue but at the moment I happen to have a lot going on, including several other fics in the works. I will post it though, Monijune certainly won't let me forget, lol!
> 
> So leave a comment and let me know what you think. Thank you to everyone that followed along with the story. I do hope you'll read my other works, and the coming ones. I'm always writing and I have no less than 3 more in various stages of completion right now!
> 
> Epilogue is coming, don't worry!


	29. Time Stamp Number One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a few years later, once Dean is completely settled in Montana. It's the night before the wedding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am back! For those that have been waiting on time stamps, here is the fist one. There will be one, _possibly_ two more time stamps. I hope you like this and that the wait was worthwhile!

“Where’s Dean?” Mary asked as she stepped into the house.

“Riding, I think. At least, he was. He wanted to work the horses before putting them up for the night. They’ve been a bit feisty lately and harder to deal with, so he’s been taking them out on the trails each evening. He’ll be back in just a bit.” Cas walked Mary to the kitchen where Frank was standing, deep in a discussion on football with Gabe. Both men looked up when they walked in.

“Find what you needed?” her husband asked.

“Yes, the pill bag was in the trunk. It fell into the well with the spare tire.” She held up the bag in question.

“We heading to The Country Kitchen for dinner afterwards, right? Where are Charlie and Dorothy?” Gabe asked.

“In their room, I think,” Cas replied. This was almost chaotic having so many people in the house. The sound of the back door opening and voices filtering down the hall drew his attention, and soon Dean and his brother were walking into the kitchen.

“Wash your hands.” Cas pointed at the sink. Neither man argued as they walked over and did exactly that. Mary snickered but said nothing. 

“Ok, we’re ready to go. Who else is coming?” Charlie said as she walked in the room.

“Balthazar and April are meeting us there. Oh, and Meg should be there too. Later Benny, Bobby, Andrea, Victor, and Nena will meet us at the restaurant,” Dean replied.

“The restaurant can accommodate this large of a group, right?” Mary didn’t want them to be turned away.

“Yes, and I called ahead to tell them how big of a group we’d be coming in with,” Cas said.

“The food is great; you’ll all love it,” Dean added. He tossed his brother an extra dish towel and they dried their hands.

“We’re supposed to be there by seven; let’s get moving.” Cas started for the door and everyone followed. Outside, they split up. Sam and Gabe rode with Mary and Frank while Charlie and Dorothy rode with Cas and Dean. 

“I love it up here. The air is so clean and fresh. It’s so different from Chicago,” Dorothy said as they made their way to the banquet hall. “I can’t wait to be done with school so we can move up here.”

“Told you. It’s amazing here. Cas and I are very happy, aren’t we, babe?” Dean glanced over at his fiance and saw the man nodding.

“Most of Dean’s allergies have either eased up or disappeared completely since he’s been here.”

“Really?” Charlie was rather impressed by that.

“The pollution up here is so low, it’s fantastic. We put out more wildflowers for the bees and added more hives. We’re now getting enough honey that we can sell some at the farmer’s market in the spring. Cas hoards most of it for himself though.” Dean grinned when Cas shoved him lightly.

“I do not hoard it. I just love the stuff. It’s fantastic on toast, drizzled on waffles, and I’ve even sweetened my coffee with it.” 

“He hoards it,” Charlie giggled.

“So, this hall, it’s what, a banquet hall?” Dorothy asked.

“Yes. We were going to do the whole thing at the farm but really, the black flies are horrible, last year and this year. You should have seen Dean’s arms by the end of last summer. He looked like he had chicken pox, and it was all fly bites. We weren’t subjecting friends and family to that, so we opted to rent the hall,” Cas explained.

“The place is really nice, and has a spectacular view off the balcony of the mountains. And for the record, I’m working on getting rid of the flies. Bastards are just persistent.” Dean said.

A few minutes later they pulled into the parking lot at the banquet hall. Frank pulled in and took the parking spot next to them. Once everyone had climbed out of the vehicles, they went inside.

“Oh, wow…” Sam was in awe as he looked up at the crystal chandeliers hanging in the lobby. Dorothy and Charlie were busy admiring the view.

“This place is fancy,” Frank said as they looked around.

“Not really, but it’s nice, and we could afford it.” Cas pointed towards a door at the far end of the room. “It’s through there.”

He led the way and everyone followed. Once they stepped into the banquet room, everyone was in awe.

“This is beautiful!” Mary gasped as she looked around. 

“I second that. And the guests won’t have to move from their seats. They stay at their tables the entire time, which is nice. It’s just easier to have the wedding and the reception all in the same place.” Dean pointed out two sets of French doors. “That set there leads out into a garden, where we’ll do the pictures, and that set there leads out onto a huge balcony that gives a full view of the mountain range.” 

The doors opened again, and Balthazar walked in with April and the minister.

“Ok guys, it’s time to get this rehearsal started!” Dean rubbed his hands together. He was eager to get to the restaurant; he was starving!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“That was so sweet!” Mary gushed as they walked into the restaurant an hour later. “Reverend Kimmley is so nice!”

“We checked around and I briefly considered having Charlie step in to perform the ceremony, but I wanted her standing up for me. So we talked it over and decided to find a minister we liked. Some are really homophobic asses, but Joe Kimmley isn’t. He’s very open minded, and we like the guy,” Dean said. They were directed back to the tables that had been put together for their party. Dean sat down, and Cas took the seat to his left. He laid his arm across the back of Cas’ chair as the rest of their family and friends sat down and leaned close.

“We’re going to officially be married tomorrow, babe. You scared?” he whispered. Cas looked at him, a soft smile on his lips.

“Why would I be scared? It’s all I’ve ever wanted. Eager and excited would be a better description. It feels like it took us forever to get here, even though it hasn’t. I couldn’t imagine spending my life with anyone but you.” He leaned in and kissed Dean softly. “But if you’re scared…”

“Hell no, I’m not scared!” Dean said just a touch too loud. He heard Charlie and Gabe both chuckle. “I want this. We’re in a good place financially now. I want a family, Cas. And now that we have everything in place, we won’t have to wait for that.”

Cas smiled and kissed him again, earning a few “awws” from their group. Bobby arrived, as well as Benny and Andrea. With their whole party there, they got dinner under way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At home in bed that night, Dean held Cas close, kissing him softly as his fingers skated over warm, pliant skin. This was more than he had ever hoped to have. Cas was more than he had ever hoped to have. It had been four years since they had met that afternoon online, and he was thankful every single day that this man had come into his life. 

“What are you thinking about?” Cas asked.

“About how happy I am, and how much I love you. This has been the best four years of my life,” Dean replied.

“Mine too. I was never so happy as I have been since you came into my life.” Cas kissed Dean’s jaw and snuggled closer. “This right here, it’s heaven. We’re about to be done with the lawsuits, we’re about to be married, and…” Cas was almost giddy with excitement. “We’re soon to be fathers. I think our family is going to be upset that we didn’t tell them that part.”

“Hey, Erin has seven more weeks to go before the next Winchester pops out. But I know my mom will be back and probably won’t leave for at least a month,” Dean chuckled.

“We’re still planning to announce that at the reception?” Cas understood why Dean had wanted to wait. This entire wedding needed to be the focus so nothing went wrong, and if the family knew about the baby first they’d focus on that instead. Charlie would insist on a baby shower and decorating the baby’s room rather than helping to plan the wedding, and Mary would be a crying mess. And it wasn’t like they were waiting until the baby was already here to tell everyone. They just needed the wedding to be out of the way. 

“Yes. But be prepared to get yelled at, and for _a lot_ of crying.” Dean knew his mother and Charlie, and Dorothy, as stoic as she always was, would be joining in. Hell, he knew Bobby would cry too.

Moving to Montana had been nothing but perfect. The Chicago shop continued to flourish, and Dean made a trip to the city at least three times a year to do an inspection and assess what, if anything, the shop might need. Bobby had felt confident enough to retire completely, and now Dean ran the show by himself. Benny was a competent manager, and Victor was a huge help. With more updates, Dean was able to hire on a couple more people and the revenue had increased by almost thirty percent in the last eighteen months. The shop here was doing even better. Overhead costs were lower and the fact that Dean had all the business for a hundred-mile radius worked in his favor. He had let go of the lazy men that had worked for Darnell after they had proved to be just as lazy for him and hired on six young, eager men. He helped them get licensed, and they worked hard for him. The shop never lacked for business and after hearing about how good the shop was, people started coming from farther away for the bigger issues, like transmission and engine work. He had earned himself a solid reputation not only in the county, but across the state. The idea of opening a second shop here in Montana was something he was strongly considering.

Dean loved the garage Cas had built for him. After reviewing bids, they had chosen a contractor that was able to add another bay, turning it into a five car garage and built-in cabinets for all the tools and supplies Dean needed in order to work on antique cars. It was heated and was attached to the house, so in extreme weather, Dean never had to step outside. So far he had restored ten cars and had two more in there now in various stages of completion. He had gotten Cas in on it and to his delight, the man turned out to love working on them. They spent a lot of time in the spring and summer working out in the gardens they had created. The in-ground greenhouse thrived under Dean’s capable hands, as did the fields around it. They built a chicken coop and invested in chickens and a couple of turkeys. Cas wanted ducks too, so Dean put in a pond and a separate house for the ducks. The turkeys pretty much lived in the barn with the horses, and that was ok in their book. The birds went a long way towards ridding the farm of bugs and small vermin, and after securing the coops and barn against predators, the birds flourished. They had invested in Icelandic chickens that were hardy but gentle, and Cas loved hatching new chicks each spring. Dean got a kick out of the ducklings. They got enough eggs that, after investing in two additional freezers, Dean was able to prepare and freeze eggs so that they almost never had to buy store bought during the winter. Dean discovered the joy of baking with duck eggs after a neighbor told him about it, and now his cakes came out even more moist and delicious, as did cookies, quiches, and the odd souffle he had tried once or twice to make. Not to mention that the ducks had turned out to be great company. Whenever he worked out in the yard, he had a rapt audience. In the spring the chickens loved to help him turn over the soil while they and the rest of the birds happily devoured whatever weeds he found and tossed to them. In the summer, they loved the scraps he threw them, from cucumber rinds to soup to green beans not good enough to can, and in the fall they went nuts for the opportunity to run through the fields and gobble up anything that was left. In the winter whatever he and Cas ate, the birds got the leftovers. Sometimes it wasn’t much, so Dean had planted another full acre of vegetables meant strictly for the birds, and Cas loved that his fiance cared so much for them that he felt the need to do that. With the extra vegetables, he had more for the compost bin, and their crops flourished. 

Cas had quickly learned just how seriously Dean took his canning. That first spring, Dean had worked tirelessly on getting the shop ready during the weekdays, and on weekends he worked on the greenhouse and in the fields. He found a spot for every single seed he had ordered and Cas was right by his side the entire time, digging and planting, watering and maintaining, until by end of summer they had more vegetables than Cas knew what to do with. Dean knew though. He canned beans and squash, beets and potatoes, made pickles and relishes, and an entire acre had been dedicated to strawberries, so there were preserves and syrups too. The second year Dean planted already established berry bushes along the back of the greenhouse, where he sectioned them off so the birds couldn’t get to them, and by last summer Dean was up to his ears in blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. He’d been delighted to find mulberry trees growing along the back of the property, and that summer Cas found himself elbows deep in berries as he washed and debugged and prepped them for the various creations Dean was planning for them. By the time winter finally came around Cas had to stand back and admire the hard work they had both put into their land. There were more than two hundred jars of vegetables, jams, jellies, and syrups, and there was a freezer full of various other ones. He was happy, and though this place had welcomed him with open arms and he had called it home, it wasn’t truly one until he had Dean there with him. 

After the nightmare with Dick Roman they had hired a lawyer and sued Dick Roman right into the ground. The man had been worth some eighty million before his downfall, and at the lawyer’s suggestion they sued him independently. Dean’s lawsuit covered harassment, threats, and defamation of character, among other things, and he had sued for a meager five million, of which the lawyer was set to get a healthy five hundred thousand. Cas, on the other hand, was furious and after the article hit the news he nearly lost his job with the university. He sued Dick for half his net worth. In the end, he settled for a little more than twenty five million. Dick was rotting somewhere in jail and Cas was finally free of him. What mattered the most though was that Dean was safe. It was all for naught if Dean wasn’t left alone.

While they didn’t have the money from the settlement just yet, Cas had completed three new books, the last two not being about bees at all. They were biographical in nature, the first one covering his time with Dick Roman and what a hellish nightmare it had been while the second one described the time during which Dick was threatening Dean’s life. Charlie’s involvement was left out of the book, and it was explained that they had received anonymous tips that Dean’s life was in danger, and that Dick Roman was stalking them. The books went over very well, and Cas was surprised by just how well they did. Money was not something he or Dean would ever have to worry about again, and for that he was very glad.

As they lay there in bed on the eve of their wedding, they discussed plans for the next two weeks. After the wedding they were setting out on a two-week honeymoon in Cabo San Lucas, and they were both excited to go. They were flying and Dean had already talked to his doctor about anxiety meds, so they were prepared. When they got back the interior designer was set to arrive and start on the baby’s room. They knew they were having a boy, but the room wasn’t being done up in blue. Instead, they were doing a whimsical forest theme that they knew would work when they had more kids down the line. This was the culmination of their dreams, all their hard work and patience was paying off. They had both known that once they were officially married, neither man wanted to wait to have kids. They’d had four beautiful years to get to know one another, to learn even the tiniest of flaws in one another, and had fallen in love with one another time and again, and they felt ready to take on parenthood. Cas was not taking time off from teaching, but he had lightened his course load some. Due to his rise in popularity the school basically bent to his every whim, not that he abused that, but he wanted time with their son too, so when the new semester started he planned to teach in the mornings so that he could be home in the afternoons with his husband and son. Dean did primarily supervision and paperwork, so the baby would go to work with him at the garage in the mornings. Later, when their son was mobile, they would look into the possibility of a nanny, but for now, they wanted as much time with their child as possible.

“We’re going to be fathers, Dean. I can scarcely believe it. And we _still_ haven’t agreed on a name,” Cas said.

“I’m excited. I know we’ll both be good dads. He’s going to be loved and he’ll learn so much. From working on cars to keeping bees, to working a farm. We might have money, but I don’t want our kids to be spoiled brats.” Dean had put a lot of thought into this too. He didn’t want to raise spoiled assholes like Dick Roman, and he knew Cas didn’t want that either.

“I suspect that your parents are going to move up here. I don’t think we’ll have to look into a nanny.” Cas laughed softly. 

Dean smiled. “Yeah, well, the farm next door is up for sale. I think we should buy it. It would give us another forty acres since I really don’t think my folks will do much gardening, not when my mom would rather just have me give her stuff.”

“I like Daniel. Daniel Winchester has a nice ring to it.” Cas was mulling over names in his head, looking for something that they would both like but that would sound good with what would soon be both of their last name.

“Daniel’s ok. I was thinking Sean, or maybe Ryan. How does Ryan Daniel Winchester sound?” Dean asked. 

Cas did like that. “Yes, that’s wonderful. Is that what we’ll call him?” He tilted his head back so he could see Dean’s face.

“Yeah, I think it’s a good, strong name,” Dean said.

Cas traced the two rings sitting already on Dean’s left hand. As of tomorrow one would be moved to his right hand in order to make room for the wedding band. He’d been unable to resist buying an engagement ring for Dean, not once he had learned that he could get one with the Impala engraved on it. Dean loved it and wore it with pride. Their one real argument in the last year was which ring would be moved to Dean’s right hand. Dean had argued that he didn’t need a third ring. The one from Frank’s dad went well enough with the Impala ring, and he felt they could pass as a set. Cas argued that no, they did not look like a set at all. The Impala ring was black Tungsten with the Impala engraved on the top. The first engagement ring was a silver band with diamonds embedded in the top. Dean quickly learned just how stubborn his fiance could be, and he figured it was a battle not worth fighting. If Cas wanted him to have another ring, then he would have another ring. 

The wedding bands would match. They were silver but the center had a Tungsten inlay engraved with a beautiful scrolling leaf pattern that had appealed to them both. Cas had decided that the Impala ring would be the one moved, but if later, Dean wanted it paired with the wedding band, he would be ok with that. Dean didn’t care what ring was on what hand as long as he didn’t have to stop wearing either one, and as long as he got to take Cas as his husband. He had joked with Cas that if they had more than one son, they’d have a ring to pass down to each of their boys. Cas trailed the tips of his fingers up Dean’s side before splaying them over the bare skin of his chest, right over his heart.

“I love you, Dean. More than anything in the world.” 

“I know, baby. And I love you just as much.” Dean’s hand slid down Cas’ side, coming to rest on his hip. Four years in and the sex between them was still just as hot and passionate as it had been the first time they’d made love, but the tender moments where they simply laid together, talking, touching, kissing, those were more frequent now that there was no worry of being apart. Dean wasn’t going anywhere ever again. They had decided to pass on the sex tonight so that neither was too sore the following night, once they had left the reception, but that didn’t mean oral was off the table. Cas was lying next to him, all warm and firm and naked, and it was very hard to resist not wrapping his hand around his fiance’s length and stroking him until he was hard before swallowing him down whole. 

“What are you thinking about?” Cas asked.

Like a full 180, Dean’s train of thought suddenly shifted.

“Do you think Sammy’s dating?”

Cas pulled back a bit more to get a better look at him.

“That’s what you’re thinking? I would have sworn you were debating on whether oral was in the cards for tonight. Cause I was really hoping it was.”

Dean laughed and kissed him. “Well, yes, I was, but then you asked that and my brain just slid totally to the left. I suddenly wondered about my brother. You know he hasn’t really dated since Jess died.”

Cas rolled onto his back but continued looking at Dean.

“I don’t know. He doesn’t want to settle. He wants what we have, and none of the girls he has dated meet his expectations. He set the bar pretty damn high.”

Dean sighed. “Yeah, I know. But he deserves to be happy with someone that will love him totally and completely. He moved up here to be closer to all of us, but the dating pool is a bit thin. I want him to find someone that will not only love him but will respect him, and want to share in his dreams and helping him become everything he possibly can. Like you do with me.”

“So...like Gabe.” Cas said. 

Dean frowned. “Except Sammy’s not gay. Or bi.”

Cas turned on his side and propped himself up on one elbow.

“His orientation is not the question. My brother, though he has been extremely mature about it, much to my surprise, has been head over heels in love with Sam for years now. If you think Sam moved up here to be close to you and me, I’ve got some news for you. That’s not why he did it.”

Dean sat up, putting his back to the headboard. “You really think Sam feels that way about Gabe?”

Cas sat up, scooting closer so he could place a hand on Dean’s thigh. “I know two things. Gabe is in love with Sam. I can see it in the way he looks at him, and the way he acts around him. But he sees the turmoil inside Sam, so he hasn’t said or done anything to push Sam one way or another. It would crush my brother to lose Sam as a friend. Age difference aside, Sam’s his best friend. The second thing I know is that Sam is in love with Gabe. There is a lot of fear there though. Stigma, sharing feelings, the idea of sex with another man, it’s all scary territory that he is completely unfamiliar with. Baring feelings is sometimes painful. He’s scared.”

Dean mulled that over for a moment. When he and Cas had come up to bed tonight they had left Sam, Gabe, Charlie, and Andrea talking in the living room. Gabe, at some point, would go home, but at what point? He seemed to naturally gravitate towards Sam. Sam had an apartment in town, a nice place near the town square. He’d either crash on the couch tonight or he’d make the drive back to his place. No doors had been opened yet, so they were still downstairs talking. Dean didn’t care one way or the other. He just wanted his brother to be happy, but he wanted Gabe to be happy too. 

“I’ll talk to him later, let him know there’s nothing wrong with finding love with another man. He’s cool with other people loving whoever, but he always identified as straight, so I think you’re right, he’s struggling with his identity right now.”

Cas moved until he was straddling Dean’s lap. His fingers sliding down his soon to be husband’s chest before coming to rest on his hips. He smiled so wide his cheeks ached from the effort, but still he couldn’t stop.

“What has you smiling like that?” Dean asked.

“At this time tomorrow you’ll be my husband.” Cas replied. Dean’s smile was nearly as wide as Cas’.

“Castiel James Winchester. Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think? You’re still sure you want to take my name? It’s not going to confuse your fans?”

“They know I’m gay, and they know I’m engaged. On my last tour I told them flat out, both in person and in the book, that I’m taking your name. They aren’t going to be confused. Carrying the Novak name…” Cas shook his head, his smile faltering a bit. “It’s a burden. There is nothing good that comes from it, except my brother and myself, so I am quite happy to take your name. I love your family as if they were my own, so it feels natural. I’ll truly be a Winchester, even if it’s only in name.”

Dean pulled Cas against him, wrapping the man in his arms. “Honey, you’re a Winchester no matter what. Family doesn’t end with blood, and you know how much mom and dad love you. And Sammy, and Charlie, and even Dorothy. You’re family, end of story. It’s more than just in name because you’re the other half of me, ok? Tomorrow is a formality of sorts, but I see it as the last tie that will link us for the rest of our lives. I love you, Cas, and I’m honored to take you as my husband.”

Cas melted against Dean, loving the firm, warm body beneath him. His life wasn’t perfect, but it was damn close. He had the man he loved and was about to marry, and in just a few weeks time they would be welcoming their son into the world. He was so happy that they were finally reaching this point. This was the happy ending he had sought after since he was a little boy.

“You know, Gabe was right about something,” he murmured.

“Hmm? What was he right about?” Dean asked.

“When I was a little boy, there were all these beautiful princess stories. Snow White, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, you get the picture. Anyway, I used to sit in my room, reading my fairy tales and instead of wondering where I would find my princess, I prayed that I would find my prince. I just wanted my happily ever after, but for a long time I never thought I would get to have that. Gabe said you were my prince, and he’s right. You’re my happy ever after.”

Dean smiled as he listened to Cas talking. He’d never thought he would ever be anyone’s prince, or that he’d ever get a happy ever after of his own, but sure enough, he had that with this man here in his arms. Cas was the only person that had ever been able to put up with his OCD without wanting to rip their hair out or scream. Cas had the patience of a saint, and enough love in his heart to move mountains if he saw fit. He put up with Dean when he was an asshole, when he made a fool of himself, and he forgave him for his mistakes. He wasn’t perfect but Cas loved him exactly the way he was, and he loved Cas exactly the way he was too. 

“You’re my happily ever after too, babe, but for the record, I see myself as more of a Prince Phillip type rather than Aurora.”

Cas laughed and sat up so he could loop his arms around Dean’s neck.

“I’m partial to Anna and Kristoff, myself.”

“What’s that?” Dean asked.

“Elsa was the ice queen? Frozen?”

“Oh, that one with the talking snowman?” Dean swore that was the one with the snowman…

Cas snickered and nodded. “Yes, darling. Olaf was the talking snowman.” He was glad that not only did Dean not knock him for his love of fairy tale movies and the Disney cartoons, but he usually watched them with him. Dean particularly liked Brave.

“Ok, I can accept that.” Dean kissed the tip of his nose, earning himself a full, gummy smile.

“Are we going to just sit here talking about princes and talking snowmen or are we going to take care of this itch under my skin that only an amazing blowjob by my equally amazing fiance can give me?” Cas cocked one eyebrow expectantly, and it made Dean laugh. He grabbed Cas’ hips and flipped him so fast it had the man gasping. Cas found himself laid out flat a second later, and a second after that Dean’s mouth was on him.

“Fuck!”

Dean smirked. Not yet, that was being saved for tomorrow!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So how many of you had to go back and reread the entire thing before you read the time stamp? Lol. It's been a busy year, in case you all couldn't see with the dozens of fics that I put up after this one. But I didn't forget this story, and so I came back to it. I do hope you enjoyed this time stamp.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope that this lives up to your expectations, and that you all enjoyed it. I love you all!


End file.
